Upside Down
by BoundaryBreaker
Summary: Yoruichi and Urahara had a daughter named Shinobu. When a simple mission to Soul Society gets turned upside down and Shinobu ends up staying at the Kuchiki Manor, well, let's just say that not only the mission got turned upside down. ByaOC
1. Chapter 1

Miya transformed back into her human form, and quickly changed into a black tank top, black basketball shorts, and black tennis shoes.

"You're wearing that?"

"I've got to! It's the best outfit I've got."

"Then take this." Yoruichi, her mother, handed her a navy blue ribbon.

"Tie your hair up with it."

"What? Why?"

"Because. If you ever have to transform, I'm sure that a certain person will find this."

"Okay," she took the ribbon and tied up her hair with it, then put more than a few hairbands on her wrist.

"I think I'll be good with only this."

"Be careful."

"I will be. You've trained me well, Mom." she hugged Yoruichi, blonde hair spilling down her back in a long ponytail.

"Go see your father, and have him brief you again."

"Alright alright." Miya slid past her mother and walked through the house, calling out for her father. Finally, after checking every room in the house, she returned to the kitchen and moved the wooden table that covered the removable planks that led down to the training grounds. She pulled up the planks and dropped down, landing softly on the ground. She called out for her father again, finally finding him by the hot springs.

"Dad! I'm leaving in like, ten minutes!"

"I know. Come here." she sat down by his head.

"I know that ribbon. Is that the game Yoruichi is playing? Two can play at that."

"I've no idea what you're talking about."

"Take this, and never take it off." he handed her a black ribbon. The tied it around her neck.

"We totally just murdered your appearance. Ready to go?"

"As ever. Now can we please go?" he ruffled her hair and stood up.

"Ugh! Dad!" a piece of her hair fell into her face as she shielded her eyes.

"You know, no one there will ever know who's child you are."

"Oh really? I've got your hair and Mom's eyes. I think that's enough, plus whatever these ribbons are. Anyway, let's get going." she stood up from her crouching position.

"And puh-lease get dressed." she jogged away towards the entrance to the Training Grounds. Yoruichi stood there, and looked at Miya.

"Try not to get caught."

"Okay."

"If you do, well, you can figure it out." Urahara, her father, walked towards them, wearing only pants.

"Really?" she grinned and hugged him.

"Aren't you guys sad that your 125 year-old daughter is going to a potentially dangerous place?"

"You'll be fine. Okay, so you go there, and you're supposed to make your way to the Shihoin Manor. Go into Yoruichi's room, and grab the knife hidden under her pillow."

"Check. Then what?"

"Go to Squad Six's prison cells and get Suzu out."

"Alright. Then go to Squad Two and find Soifon and tell her that Yoruichi says, 'Aizen was the beginning.' and then haul ass."

"That's it." Urahara moved over to the large purple things and turned them on. It ripped open the air.

"Ciao." she hugged both of her parents and shunpoed through. She stopped on the other side and watched the gap close. She looked around.

"Where am I?" She spun in a circle, and spotted a gravel path. She jogged over and ran down the path until she found a sign.

"Shihoin Manor, to the left." she read. A voice boomed overhead.

"Intruder in Seireitei! Intruder in Seireitei! Squad Six investigate near the Shihoin Mansion."

"Shit." she started sprinting towards the Manor, and paused when she found the door. She took deep breaths, then opened the door. A few maids stared at her blankly.

"The Intruder is in the Manor!" someone screamed. The maids' eyes grew even larger and Miya sighed.

"My name is Miya Shihoin. I'm Yoruichi Shihoin and Kisuke Urahara's daughter. I'm getting something, and I'll be gone in a jiffy." she dashed to her mother's room and threw open the door. She could tell the house was surrounded now.

"I'll have to take to the trees." she threw the pillows off the bed and grabbed the plain dagger and holster and slipped it around her waist.

"Soul Reapers are fast, damn it."

"Where'd is the intruder?" a calm, placid voice asked. She froze.

"Master Yoruichi's room."

"I don't wanna break through the ceiling though."

_If you have to transform, I'm sure that a certain person will find this. _

"I didn't wanna have to transform so soon." she muttered, but did. She quickly dragged her clothes out of view, and grabbed the black ribbon and the navy one, then sat down on Yoruichi's bed, ribbon's spread before her. The door slid open and she flicked her tail. The man before her looked her age, about thirty in appearance, which meant his was probably 130. His skin was pale, but in stark contrast, his hair was black as a raven's feathers, and his eyes were a slate gray, relaying no feeling except indifference. He stepped towards her, looked bored. He knelt down and looked her square in the eyes.

"Captain Kuchiki! Find anything?"

"No, Abarai." he looked down at the ribbons, and a spark of recognition passed across his face. He picked up the blue one, and she read the words on it.

"Belongs to Byakuya Kuchiki." she read out loud, then shut her mouth and looked at the man, who looked at her. She stood up and grabbed the black ribbon, and hissed at him.

"Yoruichi's child." he muttered.

"What Captain?" a man with blinding red hair and deep brown eyes peered in the room and looked at Miya.

"What's a cat doing in here? That's a strange looking cat. Pail blonde fur and amber eyes..." she hissed at the man and the man named Byakuya looked back.

"Abarai, look elsewhere. It's _just _a cat." the red head, Abarai, nodded and left. Byakuya looked at her again and she hissed again, then dropped the black ribbon.

"No!" he picked it up and she prepared herself to jump at him.

"Give it back. I'm not here to cause any harm."

"How did you get here?"

"My father sent me."

"Change back and get dressed."

"Why should I listen to you? From what I've heard from Mom, you have always been a bratty person. You don't look it now though, so you must be deceiving me."

"Change." he turned around and left the room. The black ribbon slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor. He shut the door and she changed back and quickly got dressed. She picked up the black ribbon and tied her hair up again. She turned to the window and silently pushed it open. She crouched on the sill as the door opened. She turned back and looked at Byakuya, who moved the catch her. She jumped out and up. Hanging off a tree branch, she quickly pulled herself up and jumped to the next branch. Clueless Soul Reapers on the ground looked up at the rustling of leaves, but by then she'd passed on. Byakuya watched her go.

"Captain?"

"It escaped."

"The cat?"

"Go round up the squad. Tell them to search the premises."

"Hai!" Abarai dashed away and Byakuya looked at the navy ribbon in his hand.

"Yoruichi, do you care for this child that much?" he closed his hand into a fist. Abarai gathered the squad and told them to watch the premises. Afterwords, on the way back to the room, he muttered, "Captain let the cat escape. If the cat was special, which it obviously was, it couldn't have escaped. He must've let it go. Why would he do that?" Meanwhile, Miya dropped down from a tree, at least a mile away. She looked around after she dropped and took off running, looking for somewhere to stay. She skidded to a stop as she passed a large cave.

"No doubt I can stay there, right?" she slipped inside the cave, and every step she took echoed throughout the cave. She softened her footsteps and looked around. As she neared the back, she could tell the pathway widened into a circular cave that was at least twenty feet in diameter. She gingerly walked into the back and leaned against the wall.

"Alright. Mom would be so disappointed at how I carried that out, but I got the knife, so I'm not unarmed anymore. Next is to get Suzu out. I know where I am now." she cracked her knuckles and looked around the dark cave.

"Sorry Mom, I'm a disappointment. Byakuya, the teen you used to torment is on to me." she pulled out the device in her pocket and stuck it in her ear. The mic stuck out and led down near her mouth. She clicked a button and waited for the static to clear.

"Oi! Mom!"

"Miya? Do you have the knife?"

"Yeah. I'm in a cave. Sorry I didn't do a good job. Seconds after I arrived, they knew I was here. I sprinted towards the Manor and got the knife, but Squad Six had surrounded the house by then. Byakuya Kuchiki found me, but I'd transformed. He found the blue ribbon and figured out I was your kid, then he let me go."

"He _let _you go?" she winced at the feedback.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what's up though."

"Miya, listen to me. Do NOT stop moving. He's going to be following you. You're not going to know. Start moving now. You cannot stop moving until you're positive you've shaken him off."

"Alright." she stood up and ran forward out of the cave.

"Oh shit." she shunpoed away and he followed.

"What's going on Miya?"

"He's was outside the cave. I'll contact you later."

"Miya, in an hour. If you're still shunpoing then, you need to find somewhere to stop, or you'll collapse and he'll get you for sure. Byakuya-bo won't give up. Now that he knows you're related to me, he will hunt you down."

"I've got it! Bye Mom!" she clicked off and shoved it in her pocket. She looked back over her shoulder, and he was gone. As she turned again, she rushed up to meet him. Quickly, she braced her feet on his him and pushed off, sending herself backwards. She skidded as she landed, and he was grimacing at her.

"Sorry 'bout the dirt." she started off in a new direction this time, then quickly came to a stop at a gorge's edge. She balanced precariously on the edge, then tipped forward and scrabbled for a purchase on the rocks. She found one and held on, kicking down other rocks below her. She looked up and spotted the Captain above her, but he didn't look down. _Maybe it's good I can't live up to his __expectations. That way I get more leeway to screw up. _He opened his fist and she saw the ends of the navy ribbon. Suddenly, the rock her left hand was on broke off and she let out a small shriek. He closed his hand and looked down. She brought her hand over so both hands were on the same small rock and she could feel it breaking loose. _Can't get caught. _She looked around for another hold and quickly moved over to a ledge. She crouched down, one hand on the rock. Suddenly, he was beside her. She stood up, but her grabbed her wrist before she could shunpo off.

"Miya?"

"Damn it!" he pulled out her transceiver out of her pocket.

"Yoruichi-dono."

"Byakuya, where is Miya?" Thinking fast, Miya yanked her hand out of his grasp, and shunpoed away to the other side of the river.

"She's not here."

"Where is she? Tell me Byakuya!"

"Safe." she glared at him as he dropped it into the river, then shunpoed next to her. She instinctively stepped away from him.

"What do you want?"

"Why are you here?"

"Answer my question first."

"I believe I have." Miya paused, narrowed her eyes, and took a few more steps back.

"Stop following me. You're not going to find anything out." she took a few more steps, then shunpoed off, towards Sokyoku Hill. She skidded to a halt near a hot spring. Mist hung in the air, and soaked her through, quickly, but she was shielded from the eye. She backed up against the hill and knelt down. She watched Byakuya appear and look around, but he didn't see or sense her. Quickly, she shunpoed away again. He moved around the side of the spring to where she'd been and looked down at the dirt.

"Kuchiki-san, don't bother looking for me." he looked back up and around. Miya watched from the tip of Sokyoku Hill, then shunpoed away into the forest.

"I've gotta go to his division. And for sure, Mom'll be coming soon because he dropped my thing into the water." she quickly ran through the woods in the general direction of Squad Six. She skidded to a halt when she neared the edge of the forest.

"Shit." she braced herself, then shunpoed out and towards the barracks. She cleared the walls surrounding in one jump, then landed softly. Good for her that the barracks were empty. She ran around towards the center and threw the doors open.

"Suzu-chan?" she called.

"Miya you didn't."

"I did. Now we've got to hurry. They can't kill you, and Captain Kuchiki is hot on my tail."

"Miya, it's too dangerous!"

"No it's not, just come on!" Miya grabbed the key ring off a wall and unlocked the door, letting the petite brunette out of her cell. She brushed off her uniform.

"Miya, we're breaking all the rules."

"I don't care. You're not the right person, and we all know that." she turned around at the sound of footsteps.

"Go back in!" she hissed, shoving Suzu back inside. Miya followed and shut the door behind her, then curled up in the dark corner of the room. She put a hand on the dagger at her side.

"Inbijiburu." she whispered, and felt herself cloaked. She watched Byakuya you walk into the room. He looked around.

"Suzumaki, have you seen anyone today?"

"No sir!" Miya quietly got up and stalked over to right in front of the Captain, who clearly didn't see her. She aimed, and then struck out with her fist. The Captain ducked down and inspected something on the floor, dodging her fist. _Damn. _She slid herself through the bars and knelt next to him, then placed her finger in the dirt and dust.

"Hey Captain." she wrote, then backed up as he looked at where she would have been. She moved to his other side.

"You can't stop me." she backed up again.

"Who is the girl, Suzumaki?"

"What girl?" Byakuya stood up and looked at her. Miya took her chance and dragged a finger down his back. He struck back with his elbow. She ducked and blinked, only to find his fist heading towards her nose. He struck and she fell backwards, holding her hands over her nose. He looked at the blood on his hand.

"Oh, that girl. Her name is Shinobu Shihoin. She's Yoruichi-sama's daughter. Actually, I think you two are the same age. But we all call her Miya." Miya got up and let go of her nose and felt the blood flowing down her face.

"Suzu, I hate you. You're not supposed to tell him." she ducked away as Byakuya turned her direction.

"Shinobu, show yourself."

"So you can arrest me? No chance. I'm trying to free an innocent person." Miya ducked again and walked over towards Suzu. She pulled out the dagger and Suzu put a hand on the hilt.

"Don't let go of it." she whispered, then let go. She yanked the door open and Suzu ran, but no one saw. Byakuya looked at Miya, and she wiped away the blood flowing from her nose, then plugged her nose. He took a step towards her and she backed up, then jumped over him and he turned.

"See ya Captain. I can't get caught." she shunpoed away, and he followed, right on her heels. She ran back to the gorge from before, but tripped as she neared the edge. She did a somersault, then grabbed onto a tree root before she fell over the edge. She hung onto the root for dear life. She could almost hear her conscience fighting with itself. _I can't get captured! Let go! __**No! Don't! I'd rather live! **__Duty before all else! _She shook off the thoughts.

"I think like a petty sixteen year old." She turned herself around and tried to get a grip on solid ground. She found a hand, and looked up. Byakuya knelt there, hand out stretched. She sighed and took his hand. He pulled her up and she laid on the grass for a second before jumping to her feet.

"Thanks for the help and all, but seeing as you're _still _chasing me, I think I've gotta run. Yoruichi will be coming soon since she lost contact. She treats me like a kid." she gave a small wave to the Captain, then turned on her heel. He grabbed her wrist and she turned around.

"Sit."

"No. You're not the boss of me." she pulled out of his grip and walked away, leaving a feeling of accomplishment behind.

"Yoruichi always told me never to defy a Captain. I will do whatever the hell I want to." she walked down the edge of the gorge, and could hear Byakuya catching up.

"Can't you damn Soul Reapers give it a rest?" she started running. As she started getting a bit away, her foot slipped on the edge and she slipped off the side. He made a grab for her wrist again, but only succeeded in sending himself in after her. It took Miya only a few seconds to figure out where'd she land, and how to make her entrance. She shifted herself into a diving position and made a clean cut through the water. _Damn, these were my favourite shoes too. _She surfaced and looked around as the river swept her along. The Captain wasn't on the edge of the gorge, but being swept along nearby. Miya cursed under her breath and forced herself back under. She opened her eyes, a little too late on her part, as she slammed into a rock that was jutting out of the rapids. Her head banged against the surface and she floated past, unconscious. Mere seconds later, she washed up on a beach, Byakuya soon following suit, only he retained his consciousness. He shook himself out and stood up. Upon finding Miya unconscious, he grimaced. He looked down at her. _She seems innocent when she's unconscious. _He thought bitterly, then lifted her up and shunpoed back to the Kuchiki Manor.

"Lord Kuchiki!"

"Call a doctor, and prepare a room."

"Yes sir!" several lady maids scurried away to do as he wish, and he set her down on the floor. Another maid came up to him.

"Lord Kuchiki?" he looked up at her."

"Would you like me to find some dry clothes for her?" he nodded and the singular maid ran away. Several minutes later, two maids came back.

"Her room is ready,"

"And the doctor is on his way. He should arrive shortly."

"Would you like us to change her and put her to bed?" he nodded and the two women picked Miya up and dragged her away.

"Did you notice how he seemed softer?"

"He didn't look like he was about to fire us at any second, if that's what you mean." the maids nervously scurried away to the room, and the first singular maid came back with a deep green kimono.

"Change her and put her to bed. Doctor should be here momentarily." the eldest maid said. The younger maids did as told, and undressed Miya from her sopping clothes while the lord of the Kuchiki Manor changed on his own. He adjusted his kenseikan(hair pieces), then paused.

"What is it?" he called, seeming to be addressing air.

"Sir, the doctor has arrived."

"Alright." the maid left and he stood up, then walked calmly to Miya's room. She lay under the covers, and looked like she was asleep, peacefully dreaming, instead of simply unconscious. A doctor, clad in white dress, stood over her, listening to her heart and taking in her vital signs. Suddenly, he put his hands, one over the other, on her chest and pushed. He repeated until she sat up suddenly, coughing up water. After the episode, she fell back into the former position.

"She should be fine now. Keep her warm, and don't let her get up for the next three days." Byakuya nodded, showing indifference to the fact that he was harbouring an intruder in his house. As they maids whispered nervously, only one really got straight to the point, but quietly.

"Does he have feelings for her?" she whispered to her best friend. All maids stopped and looked at her.

"Exactly!" she hissed.

"I'll be taking my leave, Lord Kuchiki. If you need me, I'm of your service." the doctor left, and so did the maids, still whispering in packs, drifting to whichever pack was using a rationale that they agreed with. The head of the Kuchiki family stayed, hovering over the bed. The maids had taken Miya's hair down, and she looked like neither of her parents, still.

"Why did Yoruichi-dono send her child? Why not herself?" the lord pondered, then left back to his division.

Miya(hereby to be referred to as Shinobu, as that is her true name) sat up with a start, scaring the maid that was arranging flowers by her bed post.

"Where am I?" the question was directed at the maid, but the younger girl seemed frozen with fear.

"Hello~?" she waved a hand in front of the maid's face.

"Oh! Sorry, Miss. You're in the Kuchiki Manor."

"What? I've gotta leave-" the maid pushed her down.

"You cannot get out of bed. The doctor has forbidden it, and Lord Kuchiki has ordered all the maids to make sure we make sure that happens."

"What's your name?"

"N-n-nanami."

"Well, Nanami, why did the doctor say I couldn't get out of bed?"

"Because you almost drowned, and your body probably wouldn't be able to handle the stress. Also, you have a slight concussion."

"Great. I'm trapped in the Kuchiki Manor and Yoruichi is going to flip."

"Y-yoruichi-sama? Who is she to you, if you don't mind me prying?"

"Not at all. She's my mom." the maid fainted on the spot and Shinobu stared at the body on the floor.

"Oh my god. What do I do?" she slipped out of the bed and kneeled next to the woman. She shook Nanami's shoulders, but to no avail.

"Uh, uh..." she stood up and opened the door, only to scare the bejesus out of the nearby maids and workers.

"I need some help! Nanami fainted." the nearest person, a tall, gray haired servant, came inside and picked her up.

"I'll deal with her. You better sit back down. We don't want Lord Kuchiki to get mad because you're up." Shinobu was about to come back with a smart ass retort, but restrained herself. As long as she was here, she was safe and wouldn't have to deal with people searching for her. She nodded in agreement, and slid her door shut, then fell to her knees, overcome by a sudden lightness of head. Her vision swam with colours, and the door slid open again. She closed her eyes and grabbed the sides of her head as strong hands lifted her up and put her back under the covers. It took a minute for the colours and lightness to go away, but soon she was able to comprehend speech and such sounds.

"Who allowed her to get up?"

"It was Nanami sir. She... fainted and Miss called out for help." Shinobu considered sitting up, but discarded the thought, knowing it was only cause more problems for her. Instead, she flipped over and looked out the door. Now all pairs of eyes were on her except one.

"Lord Kuchiki, she's alright." someone whispered. Byakuya turned around, and she quickly closed her eyes in pain at the sudden loud ringing in her ears.

"Close the blinds in there, and no one is to go in there until supper." he commanded. Somebody did as he commanded, and the last thing Shinobu saw before pitch blackness was the slight concern in the eyes of the emotionless noble. In the black, she could think clearly without running into issues. _Why does he care? When will Yoruichi finally snap and come looking for me? Who's clothes am I wearing? Where are my clothes? _She groaned at the sudden groups of thoughts in her head.

"No thinking." she whispered, then allowed herself to relax and drift into sleep.

Shinobu opened her eyes as light streamed through the slightly ajar door onto her face. She squinted and sat up as the door opened more and Nanami stepped through, carrying a tray with soup on it.

"Oh, good! You're awake. I was afraid I'd have to wake you up, and that's always slightly awkward with me."

"Nanami, what time is it?"

"Dinner."

"Same day?"

"Yes. Oh, and sorry, Miss, about my episode earlier. I do that when I get extremely nervous or overwhelmed."

"It's quite alright. And please don't call me Miss. Call me Shinobu or if you must, Shihoin-dono."

"Okay, Shihoin-dono. Well, here we have some rice curry and a bit of special soup. Eat up, and get some rest."

"Nanami, thanks for taking care of me. I was a little, rude earlier. I should be happy to even be alive, I guess." Nanami smiled in the faint light, looking a bit like an angel. Shinobu crossed her legs under the tray and tasted the soup.

"This is amazing!" she winced.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just a little above volume tolerance." she quickly downed the whole bowl, and finished off the curry.

"Thanks."

"That was fast. Ah! I'm sorry Shihoin-dono! I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"Nanami! Stop apologizing for every little thing. You don't need to keep everything to yourself. A normal person would make that remark."

"Ahhhhh! I'll try Shihoin-dono!"

"Ouch." she probed her temples at the volume.

"S-"

"Don't. Just take this stuff, alright?"

"Alright." Nanami quickly left and Shinobu was left with only a little light.

"Alright, I can't stand this." she pulled the covers back and stood up. Waiting a few minutes until she moved, she silently walked into the hall and looked up and down the passage.

"Empty." she sighed.

"Hardly." she shrieked, then grabbed her head and squinted back up at the head of the clan.

"Thank you very much." he didn't dignify that with a response.

"Actually, thanks for making me stay here. I'd probably be in jail, passed out, if you hadn't brought me here. So thanks." she winced as colours covered her vision again, and he caught her before she fell over in the spot.

"Lay down."

"Good idea." she whimpered. He set her back down on the bed.

"Don't push yourself." she nodded, the only physical movement she was sure she could tolerate at the moment. He sighed.

"Just get better." Byakuya left with that, leaving a very bewildered Shinobu to agonize over her head. He headed down the hall and turned into the dining room where a raven haired girl sat, her violet eyes wide and staring at the food in front of her.

"This is amazing, nii-sama!" she cried.

"Yes it is. Rukia."

"Yes Nii-sama?"

"Don't go down that hall."

"Yes Nii-sama!" Rukia bit back her question, but her eyes betrayed her curiosity. The young lord sat down next to Rukia.

"This is the new cook's food, is it not?"

"It is." _It would kill him to talk more. _She thought.

"I think I'm going to have to give him my thanks." they ate in silence for a few minutes, before the head of the family excused himself and left his food half untouched. Rukia stared at his plate.

"Nii-sama seems distracted recently." Rukia watched Nanami come out of the Forbidden Hall.

"Nanami-chan!"

"Eh! Rukia-sama!" the maid instinctively lowered her voice, for reasons unknown to Rukia.

"What's back there?"

"I can't tell. Sorry Rukia-sama. Lord Kuchiki has deemed everything in that hall to be kept secret."

"Did he? Alright, you can go." Nanami scurried away. Now, Rukia was not one to disobey her brother, but now she really was dying of curiosity. Byakuya had been acting nicer recently, more lenient, and if the source of this change was in the hall, she really wanted to find out. She finished her food and the servants came and took the dishes away.

"Nii-sama will be honoring Nee-san right now." she whispered, "Which means I can go for a quick peak." she slid silently into the hall and down to where there wasn't dust collecting from disuse at the base of the door. She slid the door open, and was surprised to find a girl about Byakuya's age laying in the bed, her back turned to Rukia.

"Hello?" the girl didn't respond, obviously asleep. Rukia slid into the room and closed the door. She went around to the other side of the room and looked at the girl's face.

"She looks like Urahara-sama and Yoruichi-sama. And she's beautiful." she gasped. The girl's eyes snapped open and Rukia vanished, quickly returning to her own room.

"Why does Nii-sama have a girl hidden in the Forbidden Hall?"

Shinobu snapped her eyes open. Light streamed through two large windows, and through the shades covering them. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, chasing sleepiness away.

"I wanna go explore, but I might get kicked out." the door slid open and Nanami stepped inside with a plate of eggs and french toast.

"Breakfast?"

"Yes. I must warn you though. A, this food is hot. B, your mother is here, and severely pissed."

"Good to know." at the stricken look on Nanami's face, Shinobu corrected the misunderstanding.

"I mean about the food. That my mom is here and not happy is probably a really bad thing. When she gets mad, you better clear the surrounding area." Nanami's face grew worse.

"Sorry! It was a joke." Shinobu tasted the food, swallowed, then stuck her tongue out.

"Hot hot hot hot hot!" Nanami laughed.

"Water?"

"Please!" Shinobu fanned her tongue, then took a long swig of water. Both girls froze at the shouting voice.

"Byakuya, let me in there _now. _She's _my _daughter. I have a _right _to see her."

"You're only going to make her feel worse. How about tomorrow?"

"KUCHIKI!"

"Ow..." Shinobu grabbed her temples, and Nanami opened the door and stuck her head out.

"Yoruichi-sama, Shihoin-dono isn't feeling good, and your shouting isn't helping."

"Sorry, sorry." Yoruichi took a deep breath.

"Tomorrow after lunch, Kuchiki." and with that Yoruichi left. Nanami sighed in relief, then pulled her head back in.

"Thanks, Nanami-chan." Nanami's eyes widened and she fell backwards.

"Not again!" she winced at the volume level, then slid out of bed and crouched beside the unconscious girl. The door slid open and Byakuya peered inside. Shinobu looked up.

"I'll send someone for her."

"No! She can stay in here. I don't need the bed, anyway." Byakuya nodded, then shut the door again. Shinobu picked the girl up and put her under the covers, then laid back across the foot of the bed. Minutes later, Nanami sat up.

"Shihoin-dono?"

"You're awake? Okay, right of the bat, don't worry about your 'episode'. It happens. And two, you're staying in here."

"Why?"

"You've been taking care of me. My turn to return the favour."

"N-n-no!"

"I insist. Sit back and relax. I can take care of my self for a little bit. Gosh, you act like I'm not as old as your almighty lord."

"You're as old as Lord Kuchiki?"

"Wow. You're going to get older and have an inferiority complex."

"A what?"

"And Kuchiki-san is going to have a superiority complex. Oh wait! He already has that."

"Don't speak meanly of Lord Kuchiki! He'll no doubt find out and blame me."

"Something tells me that if he does, he'll loose a few teeth if he tries to blame you." Nanami looked absolutely aghast at the suggestion and Shinobu sighed.

"I'm going to have to break you into this little thing called humor."

"I know what humor is! It's like jokes and stuff. Like, why did the chicken cross the road?"

"Nanami?"

"Yes?"

"That's ancient. Time to break into the new style." Nanami sighed.

"I know. My mom always said I was old fashioned. That's why I work here."

"Because you're old fashioned?"

"And someone who acts old fashioned needs to work someplace old fashioned."

"Puh-lease. As if. I'm moderately modern, and I work at a candy shop that looks ancient. Like, dinosaur old." Nanami's jaw dropped.

"To do list? Humor, and exaggerations."

"You're making a to do list?"

"No. I'm making a grocery list."

"Really? Then maybe you should add chee-"

"To do list. Humor, exaggerations, and sarcasm. Anything else?"

"Well-"

"Never mind. Let's start with humor." and so they day went, Shinobu trying to get Nanami to get a grasp on the modern world, little did they know that Byakuya would pass by frequently and listen. And Rukia did the same, watching her brother as he entered the hall, and left, each time seeing him leave with a small smile. Around dinner time, a maid threw open the door.

"Nanami! So this is where you've been all day! Neglecting your duties and hiding out, annoying our guest! Come, we must punish you." one look at Nanami's face told Shinobu all she needed to know. She stood up and walked up to the elderly maid.

"Who the _hell_ do you think you are?"

"No disrespect to you, ma'am, but Nanami cannot neglect her duties."

"She wasn't _neglecting_ them. She was with me the whole time. I _asked_ her to stay with me."

"All do respect, ma'am, but that is no excuse for that horrid child bugging you with her graces."

"Horrid child? Nanami is an amazing person! You haven't gotten to know her."

"What's going on?" Byakuya walked down the hall, and could almost see the sparks flying between the maid and Shinobu.

"This, elderly maid," Shinobu struggled to not call the woman a hag, "is accusing Nanami of neglecting her duties when I asked her to stay with me. She's insisting on inflicting punishment. If you're going to do anything to Nanami, you'll have to do it to me first, since I'm the one to blame." everyone was astounded at her willingness to give her pride up for another, but Byakuya, of course, showed no such feelings.

"Do you have anything to say, Oorudo Misu(Old Maid)?"

"Only that Nanami deserves punishment." Shinobu looked like she was about to start yelling again, but one pleading look from Nanami stopped the outburst. Shinobu bit her lip, waiting for Byakuya to pass judgment.

"Nanami will stay with Shihoin-dono whenever she is needed." Shinobu kept her inner cheering to herself. The old maid agreed, bowed, and shuffled away, mumbling incoherently about Shinobu and her bad influences. Shinobu looked at Byakuya.

"Thank you, Kuchiki-sama." she bowed. After a few seconds of silence, she moved to shut the door.

"Would you care to join me for dinner?" she blinked.

"She would love to!" Nanami dragged Shinobu back inside and shut the door.

"What is up with you? You just got invited to dine-" Shinobu shook her head and gave Nanami a stern look at the formal word, "eat dinner with Lord Kuchiki. You can't just freeze up like that."

"Uh, sorry, but it's not everyday you get invited to eat dinner with one of the four great noble families."

"Uhm, Shihoin-dono..."

"Right right, I am of one of those houses, but still. I grew up for fifteen years here, then the rest of my life has been spent in a candy shop where all forms of manners have been lost to my dad's stupidity." Nanami laughed at the obscenely long explanation.

"Alright. We've got about twenty minutes until dinner. Let's make you even prettier."

"Huh? What?" Nanami forced Shinobu to face a mirror, then pulled out a large hairclip and pulled back the sides of her hair into the clip, bringing Shinobu's face out of hiding.

"Wow. You're eyes are a lot brighter than I thought."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." she looked at herself in the mirror.

"I looked like a female Urahara." she laughed, and Nanami pulled her hair down, brushed it out flat, then pulled it back up.

"I feel overdressed for dinner. Can I leave my hair down?"

"Fine. You were only a bit overdone."

"Whatever! Anyway, try not to leave the room. If that hag comes around, I don't want her dragging you away."

"I'll try my best."

"Time to go?"

"Best to be earlier than Lord Kuchiki."

"It's going to be super awkward, isn't it."

"Probably. But just go with the flow."

"Alright. Ciao." she gave Nanami a small, sisterly hug, then stood up and opened her door. She walked to the end of the hall and stepped out, peering around the room. An unaware Rukia sat at the table.

"You must be Rukia!" Rukia looked up.

"Yoruichi and Urahara tell me all kinds of things about you. All good though. I promise."

"May I ask who you are?" Shinobu came down and sat on the left of Rukia.

"Oh. Right. I'm, well... I guess I get called Shihoin-dono here, but Shinobu or Miya are okay too."

"Alright, Shinobu-san. So what is your relation to Yoruichi-sama?"

"Oh. Well, she's my mom. But I'm a little old to call her that, so don't."

"You're Yoruichi-sama's child?"

"Yes?"

"I'm so sorry, senpai!" Rukia bowed and Shinobu's eyes widened. She started laughing nervously.

"Rukia-chan, please don't! I didn't grow up in that kind of environment, so that's not normal for me."

"Okay! Has Nii-sama been treating you well?"

"Eh, yeah." a faint smile hinted at Shinobu's lips. Suddenly, Rukia's excitement was dulled to a buzz as her brother entered the room. _He seems to douse all happiness. Hm. Maybe I need to act like a noble now?_ Servants brought out giant dishes with fish and despite her will, her mouth fell open.

"Holy cow! That is a ton of food! Do you seriously eat this all on your own?" Rukia openly laughed at Shinobu, so neither women noted the faint smile on Byakuya's usually expressionless face. But an old maid sure didn't miss it.

"Seriously! This fish must be on something, 'cause it's like, super size. What kinda fish is this?"

"Salmon."

"HOLY COW." Rukia laughed again. Shinobu looked at the rest of the fish on the other two's plates.

"Yours are even bigger! Oh my god!" the maids silently disapproved as they watched Shinobu freaking out over the size of the fish.

"She's of nobility, yet she acts like a mere peasant. And I dare say she's affecting Lord Kuchiki."

"So what do recommend?"

"Hm. Maybe try and make him see the bad side of her. Everyone has a bad side."

"I think he's already seen it, and admires it." the eldest maid refrained from smacking the other.

"Let us go get Nanami and inflict punishment while they're too busy. Afterall, Lord Kuchiki didn't say that we couldn't punish her, and he didn't say we couldn't do it while the Mistress is away."

"But it was implied."

"Implications could be anything. It could be implied that he doesn't like sweets from him rejecting a pickle."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Exactly. Now, we go." they stayed in the shadows and dragged Nanami away, while Shinobu finally started eating. As she neared the finish of dinner. A scream rang through the house.

"What was that?" she looked around and wiped her mouth off. Apparently, Rukia nor Byakuya knew either.

"If I may be excused." Shinobu narrowed her eyes as she stood up, and walked in the direction of the scream.

"Stop! Please stop!" she opened a door and peered inside, aghast at what scene met her eyes. Nanami was kneeled on the floor, hands tied behind her, and almost bare as the maids whipped her.

"Such harsh punishment." she gasped. Just as the old maid was about to crack the whip again, Shinobu slid through the door and stood in front of Nanami. The whip slashed across her face and she gripped the mark as she doubled over in pain.

"Shihoin-dono!" the old maid, not paying attention while talking to another old maid, cracked the whip again, slashing Shinobu's neck. She dropped to her knees, panting.

"Oorudo Misu..." the old maid with the whip turned her attention back to who she was whipping, then caught her breath.

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no."

"Shihoin-dono..."

"Nanami, are you alright?"

"Shihoin-dono, you're bleeding!"

"Are you alright?"

"Y—y-yes, b-b-but you're not!"

"I'm fine. Trust me." Shinobu took a deep breath and rose back up to her feet and looked at the maid.

"Whipping? For being with me? I never knew I was so unwanted."

"You're not, for sure, Shihoin-sama."

"Then why, why whipping? If you absolutely had to punish her, how about scrubbing the floor in the kitchen or something?"

"Whipping is a personal favourite of the eldest maid... so whatever she says, we do."

"She's just a young girl. Maybe you should think for yourselves. It's common sense."

"Shihoin-dono, we need to get your face cleaned up..."

"Nanami. Just Shinobu."

"Whatever I call you, we _still _need to get your face treated." Shinobu took a deep breath, then unbounded Nanami's wrists and found her clothes.

"Get yourself dressed first." Nanami did as told, then Shinobu ushered her out of the room, where Rukia stopped the duo, Byakuya not far behind.

"Shinobu-san! Your face!" Shinobu shook her head.

"But your bleeding!"

"Everybody bleeds. Besides, it doesn't hurt much."

"What happened?"

"They were whipping me, and-"

"And I got in front of her to keep her from getting hit again." she managed a feeble smile at her stupidity.

"I didn't stop to think that the one maid wasn't paying attention and I should've taken another approach." Rukia ran into the room and started shouting at the maids, while Byakuya inspected the marks. She flinched when he touched the edge, then forced herself to stay still.

"We should call the doctor again."

"It's not really that serious, is it?" she reached up to touch the one on her face, only to rest her hand on Byakuya's. She quickly pulled away, and he did the same.

"Sorry." they both said. She grinned, but he just didn't react. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"If you _really _need to call the doctor at this hour, go ahead, but I think I'll be fine." the lord nodded and disappeared. She sighed.

"Rukia, stop yelling at people, it won't get anything done."

"But-"

"Just stop, please."

"Alright, but lets get you back to your room."

"But what about dinner! I feel bad for making you guys leave."

"Oh, we finished. The servants have got the dishes."

"Ahh..." she wailed.

"Don't worry about it, Shinobu-san. Let's just get you back to your room." Rukia led Shinobu back and forced her to sit on her bed. Nanami sat beside her.

"I'm so sorry, Shinobu. I should've protected you."

"You make it sound like I live here on a regular basis. And you sound like it's your fault. It's not. I _chose_ to get in front of you."

"But if I'd stayed in here and resisted the maids..."

"Nanami, you can trace back as far as you want, and it's still my fault. I'm the one who fell off a cliff and took Kuchiki-san with me."

"Oh my!"

"Nanami..."

"Get over it. How is your cheek and neck?"

"They sting like fire, but I'm fine."

"Shinobu that's serious!"

"No, it really isn't. And if you obsess like this, I'm going to kick you out of my room."

"Alright, I'll stop." Nanami smiled meekly and Shinobu shook her head. The door slid open again and the same white clad doctor stepped inside and set his medical kit down.

"What happened?" Shinobu opened her mouth to explain, but he put a finger on her lips.

"Not you."

"Shinobu was eating dinner with the Kuchiki's, and I was being beaten for neglecting-" she froze at the look Shinobu gave her, "I mean, for being with her and not doing my work. I'm guessing she heard me scream and came to find out what was going on, then got in front of me, and the old maid didn't pay attention and whipped her twice." the doctor pressed an alcohol soaked cloth on her skin and she winced at the pain, and the smell. He cleaned up the blood, then bandaged her cheek and moved onto her neck.

"You're going to be plenty sore in the morning, Miss Shinobu. And why were you up?"

"It's been two days! Besides, I was only walking around this room at first." he grimaced.

"Well, if you didn't have any problems today, then I guess you can get up. But take it easy, and no more getting hurt, please."

"I'll try my best." he finished with her neck and she sighed as he left.

"I really should try, shouldn't I?"

"Yeah, you should." Nanami grinned, then Shinobu yawned.

"Oh! Get some sleep, Shinobu. You being tired tomorrow will make your mom even more mad."

"Oh my god I forgot she was coming! Where are my clothes I came here in?"

"They should be dried. Want me to get them?"

"Yes. Mom always thought that I shouldn't grow up like a noble, and this kimono looks really expensive. I love it and all, but she'll freak if I look like a purebred noble."

"Well, you do look like a purebred noble, that's for sure."

"I'll need a hairbrush too."

"Okay. I'll go get them now."

"I'm changing before I go to bed, so I'll look like I've been wearing them. I've got a non-noble image to keep up." she sighed. Most people in Soul Society would love to just be here, and be taking advantage of everything, and all she wanted was her life to remain semi normal. Nanami dashed away and came back soon with the clothes. Shinobu quickly changed and pulled her hair up into a ponytail with the black ribbon beside her bed.

"Is that ribbon special?"

"My dad told me to never take it off. And my mom gave me another ribbon, but I lost that one."

"You don't seem like a ribbon girl."

"Don't deny the parents." she shrugged and laid down in her bed.

"Take it easy tonight, and I'll-"

"Don't wake me up tomorrow. I'll wake up on my own, alright?"

"Okay." Nanami left, only to run into the lord of the house.

"Oh! Shinobu is going to sleep, but you're welcome to talk to her if you need." she bowed, then walked the other direction, fleeing for her life. Byakuya looked at the door. He hadn't really planned on going inside, he'd just been listening, but now he didn't know what to do. Going with the normal facade, he continued past the room with indifference. Shinobu sighed when he left, secretly hoping he'd come in.

"But what would I say?" she mumbled, curling up under the sheets.

When she woke up, she could easily tell it was after noon.

"Kuchiki, let me see her!"

"She's not awake yet." she rubbed the sleep away from her eyes and stood up. She looked at herself in the mirror, then adjusted her hair and opened the door.

"Hey Kuchiki-san. Hey Yoruichi."

"Miya!"

"Wow this is really confusing." Yoruichi almost strangled her daughter in the attempt to hug her. Shinobu tried, in vain, to push Yoruichi off. When the darker skinned woman finally let go, Shinobu coughed and backed up a step.

"Do not do that again."

"I thought you were dead or dying."

"Uh, hello. You can't kill me. People have tried before, remember?"

"Still."

"Yoruichi-dono, be careful." Byakuya warned as he slipped closer.

"What happened to your face?" Yoruichi turned on Byakuya.

"Was this you?"

"No, for god's sake Mom calm down before I smack you!"

"How long have you kept her here?"

"Mom, if I'd have wanted to leave, I would have. It's not like a prison. There's just a few rules. I actually kinda like it here." Both Yoruichi and Byakuya seemed shocked by the last statement.

"What? I grew up as a noble for fifteen years, then you whisked me away. It's not my fault if I like this style of living. And also, they have the biggest fish! You should have seen them! They were like, two feet long! It was ginormous." Byakuya watched as Shinobu told Yoruichi about all of her adventures and discoveries in the house, a slight smile hinting at his lips at her enthusiasm. The old maid watched in secret.

"We must do something."

"How about that something is nothing? Lord Kuchiki told us not to meddle in his personal affairs."

"This is hardly personal."

"It's personal if it's his decision. Now let's get out of here."


	2. Chapter 2

"You need to come back." Yoruichi demanded.

"No. What? I'm not done." Shinobu insisted.

"She's not leaving, Yoruichi. I still need to question her."

"And the calm before the storm is over." Shinobu whispered. She dragged herself back into her room and laid down on the bed while Yoruichi and Byakuya fought.

"Nanami?"

"Here."

"I hate this."

"Now you're acting like a sixteen year old."

"I am one at heart." she muttered.

"Anyway, if Lord Kuchiki wants you to stay here so he can question you, there's nothing you can do."

"I can run away."

"And he'd catch you and bring you back. Lord Kuchiki seems very focused on you."

"Best news ever." she mumbled through the sheets.

"Cheer up. It could be good or bad."

"Comforting. I'm leaning towards the middle."

"You can't lean towards the middle."

"Yes, yes I can. Because I'm amazing like that."

"Shinobu, we're leaving."

"I will arrest you." Shinobu sat up and glared at the two.

"How about _I_ do what _I _want?"

"Depends."

"_I_, want to finish my mission. But _I_, like it here. So maybe I'll stay and do what he says. I'm beyond old enough to do whatever _I _want." she gripped her head as a new searing pain shot through it.

"Shinobu?" Nanami leaned towards her.

"I'm fine." she groaned as another wave shot through her.

"What's wrong?" Shinobu bit her lip. Byakuya and Yoruichi had left the threats for another time, and now both were hovering over Shinobu.

"What's wrong?"

"Feels like someone shot me in the head." another wave of pain shot through her head, and Nanami glanced down at her neck. Blood had seeped through the bandage.

"This wasn't bleeding last night." she pulled of the bandage, and gasped.

"Is it supposed to look like that?"

"No." Byakuya shunpoed away, and Yoruichi looked at Nanami.

"Go get me a towel soaked with water and soap."

"On it." Nanami dashed away.

"Shinobu, just take deep breaths." she looked back at the infected wound.

"That's nasty. I need to take the one on your face off, alright?"

"Okay, just hurry. It burns now." Yoruichi ripped the one off her face, and took a step back. Byakuya returned.

"Where'd you go?"

"The doctor that treated her. He's coming by."

"Lord Kuchiki! The doctor is here." he walked away, and brought the doctor back.

"She's not dead yet?" the doctor whispered. Both Soul Reapers in the room looked at him and Byakuya pushed him up against the wall.

"What did you do?" the doctor frowned at the lord.

"Kuchiki, you're hiding an intruder in your house. I had no choice."

"What did you do?"

"I used rubbing alcohol with a little bit of filth and poison."

"Poison?" Yoruichi looked back at Shinobu, Nanami came back with the rag and Yoruichi quickly started washing out the wounds.

"Byakuya, we need to get her to Squad Four. We can't trust any private doctors now." he nodded.

"Nanami, take him to my grandma." Nanami looked confused, but did as told, whilst the maids outside silently cheered that Shinobu might die. Yoruichi finished cleaning out the wounds and Byakuya picked her up and shunpoed away. Yoruichi followed. He stopped in the Fourth Divison's Infirmary, and Lieutenant Kotetsu looked at him.

"Right this way." she led him to an emergency room, and Shinobu squinted at the sudden bright lights. Byakuya set her down on a table, and Isane looked her over.

"Alright." she pressed a red button, "I need a poison team." she turned to Yoruichi and Byakuya.

"What happened to her?"

"A private doctor tried to kill her."

"Okay." the poison team arrived and came inside. Shinobu looked confused as people worked on her. Isane looked at Yoruichi.

"I thought you were still banned from Soul Society."

"I am." Isane's eyes grew.

"Then why are you here?" Yoruichi pointed at Shinobu.

"That, is my kid."

"You have a kid? Then is Captain Kuchiki..."

"NO."

"So why are you here?" he didn't respond.

"Lieutenant Kotetsu, she passed out."

"Get her on a heart monitor, and keep trying to get it out of her system."

"Hai!" half the group shunpoed away and Yoruichi leaned back against the wall.

"If she dies, Byakuya, I'm blaming you." he didn't respond. Half an hour later, all of the team left, and Isane looked at the two.

"We've done all we can." then she left and turned the sign on the door to do not disturb. Yoruichi walked over to Shinobu and ran a finger down the new scar.

"She doesn't look quite as threatening when she's asleep." she muttered. Someone rapped on the glass and both Soul Reapers looked up. Nanami stood outside. Yoruichi opened the door and let her in.

"Is she okay?"

"We don't know."

"Yoruichi-sama," she looked over at Byakuya.

"If you stay here, you're going to get arrested."

"Right. Contact me when she wakes up." Yoruichi shunpoed away and Nanami looked at Byakuya.

"Lord Kuchiki?" he looked at her.

"Are you going to have to arrest Shinobu?"

"I don't know." he replied, honestly. Nanami sat down on the floor. They waited for three hours before Shinobu woke up. She sat up and looked around.

"Am I still here? I thought for sure I'd wake up in a jail cell." Nanami smiled.

"Where is Captain Kuchiki?" a distance voice called.

"Down the hall on the left, but I don't think you should disturb him, Lieutenant Abarai!" Shinobu squinted out the glass as the red head from before started towards her room.

"Should I transform?" she pondered.

"Transform?"

"I'll explain later, okay Nanami?"

"Alright." the maid agreed as the red head threw the door open, scaring the bejesus out of Shinobu.

"Captain!" Byakuya glared at his Lieutenant.

"Rukia was injured in trying to stop a fight between two members of her division." Byakuya followed his Lieutenant, allowing one glance at Shinobu. Nanami shut the door after them.

"The nerve! I don't care who that moron was. You don't burst into a room that clearly has a 'Do Not Disturb' sign."

"He's an idiot. I've seen him around Urahara's shop. His brain is honestly the size of an amoeba." Nanami laughed.

"That appears to be true."

"Hm. If Rukia really is hurt, should we go check on her?"

"No! Shinobu, nobody will recognize you, and will try to arrest you. I know that you're the big intruder that everyone's been talking about, so you can't go out there!"

"What have they been saying about me?"

"That you're unarmed, you have the Spiritual Pressure of a Captain, and you're still in the vicinity."

"Comforting. No one knows that I'm adept at hand-to-hand. Yoruichi hated using a sword."

"We haven't found the intruder yet, but she's near the manor." Shinobu's eyes widened.

"Abarai."

"Yeah?"

"Go do your paperwork."

"Ah! I forgot!" the red head shunpoed away and Byakuya came back inside.

"Is Rukia-chan okay?"

"They stabbed her, but I believe she will be."

"I'm glad. Anyway, uh, Kuchiki-san. I need to get away and finish my mission, before anyone figures out that you, well, harboured a criminal."

"They won't arrest me."

"You don't know that. I don't want either of you getting drawn up into my shit. I need to go warn Soifon, then leave." she covered her mouth.

"Warn Soifon of what?"

"'Aizen was the beginning.'"

"Of what?"

"Of a whole rebellion. We're not sure what Squads it's in. But a bunch of Soul Reapers are planning to assassinate all of the Captains, one by one."

"Why would they..." Nanami whispered.

"Once Aizen left, they realized what he was going to do, and fell totally in love with him, and became his little followers. Now that he's gone, they're going to try taking over Soul Society, but with a different tactic."

"Shinobu, thank you." she looked at Byakuya.

"Uh...?" he shunpoed away.

"Now what the hell was that?" Nanami looked out the window.

"There is a group of Soul Reapers headed towards this room. We need to get out of here."

"Do not tell me that Byakuya left us here."

"I don't think so. I think he wants us to get caught to make something easier."

"Come here. I'm not going to hurt you, but I don't want you in trouble. Pretend that you're a hostage." Shinobu put Nanami in a headlock. The Soul Reapers kicked the door open.

"Put the girl down."

"Leave, and let me go. I'm here on a simple mission." she tightened her grip on Nanami.

"We can't do that. Let the girl go." a volt of electricity shot through Shinobu and she let Nanami go, then passed out. Nanami hid her worry.

"Take her to the cells. Where are you from?"

"I'm just a maid."

"From where?"

"The Kuchiki Manor. She went there and took me. Can I please go back? I have floors to scrub." the Soul Reaper let he go, and she ran down the hall. _I hope Shinobu will be fine. _The Soul Reapers dragged Shinobu away by the elbows, then threw her in a cell. A few minutes later, she slowly opened her eyes.

"Oh man, I feel like my head exploded."

"You should. Now, why are you here?" She squinted at the Soul Reaper in front of her.

"To take over Soul Society, then throw you all in Hueco Mundo. NO! Why do you think I'm here? I came to free Suzumaki."

"Well, she escaped three days ago. Why are you still here?"

"Because you guys won't open the Senkai Gate so I can sneak back!"

"How did you get here?"

"I went through Hueco Mundo, then came here." she lied, hoping he wouldn't be able to tell.

"Hm." another voltage of electricity went through her and she fell to her knees, clutching her head.

"I... have been through hell... and back... Could you please... stop?" she gasped, her head throbbing.

"What do you mean?"

"I fell... into a damn river... and got knocked unconscious..." she continued.

"Have you been healed?"

"Why... do you... think I was... at the Infirmary?"

"That scar on your face." she screamed as another volt went through her when she didn't answer.

"That... was from... a poison... they healed that too." she fell over onto her side.

"Captain! We've caught the intruder."

"That scream?"

"Her. She's not answering my questions."

"Yes... I was..." she gasped, clutching her head again.

"Right. Where have you been hiding out the past few days?"

"A cave..." another volt when through her and she screamed again.

"Are you... shocking me... for... cooperating?"

"Go."

"Hai!" the man left and Shinobu looked at Byakuya.

"Are you alright?"

"What makes you think that I'm not?" she stood straight up, and winced at the pain in her body.

"I mean, yeah, it hurt. Felt like I stuck my finger in a light socket that was throwing out a million volts, but other than that, yeah." she stretched and wiped away the blood that had started coming from her mouth. _Good thing I've been shocked before. And good think that I can act. _

"What was with that dude? Shocking me for no damn reason. I outta give him a piece of my mind." she grimaced.

"Where is Nanami?"

"I think she went back to your Manor. And I still need to tell Soifon..."

"I'll take care of that. What is your proof?"

"We have someone who is a spy for that group. Don't get me wrong, they're completely loyal to their Squad, but they joined the group to alert us."

"Do you know their name?"

"I think Yoruichi called him Sasake. Squad Seven."

"Thank you." he left and she leaned against the wall. Just as he left, she noticed a gray wisp of smoke blowing out of a vent. The door was shut, and Shinobu started panicking. She sniffed.

"Smells like a fire." she coughed.

"Shit. I need to get out. They're already starting." she reached down to her tennis shoes and pulled a bobby pin off her laces.

"Good thing I left that on there from that party." she walked over to the door and put it in the lock, then shut her eyes and started fiddling with it, but to no avail.

"SHIT." she coughed again, ducked down, took a deep breath, then stood back up and walked over to the wall. _Stone. Didn't I slip through the bars last time? No. Those bars had been bent out. I can't fit through these._ To prove her point, she tried to squeeze through. By now, the smoke covered the upper half of the prison, and other prisoners were coughing and gagging.

"HELP!" she called, dropping down onto the floor. She laid on her stomach and watched the bottom of the door. No one opened it.

"Shit shit shit. We're going to suffocate because someone was delayed on trying to kill Byakuya." she coughed again. Three quarters of the room.

"HELP! PLEASE!" the other prisoners started calling out as well, and Shinobu closed her eyes.

"Hey! There's smoke coming from the prison!"

"Someone open the doors!"

"Get the Captain or Lieutenant!"

"Both are away."

"Damn it! I said open the doors." the doors slid open, and Shinobu's head dropped to the floor.

"Get the prisoners out. We don't need 'em dead." someone unlocked her door and dragged Shinobu out onto the grass. Renji shunpoed into the division and stopped by her head.

"What's going on here?"

"Someone lit a fire in the vent in the prison."

"Where is Captain?"

"He left." Renji cursed under his breath, then started pulling people out with the others.

"Is that everyone?"

"Think so."

"Someone go find Captain."

"Miya!" a man crouched down my Shinobu's head.

"Who are you?"

"Sasake from Squad Seven. I came to talk to one of the prisoners, her, because I know her." he smacked Shinobu, but she didn't get up.

"We're going to need Squad Four. If she was the first out, the others are going to be no better." Renji nodded and shunpoed away. Byakuya knelt down beside Sasake.

"She's not dead, if that's what you're going to ask. If she was, I won't be explaining. But she's not. Just not breathing." Sasake put two hands on her chest and pushed, and repeated until she sat up, coughing.

"Okay, that was horrible." she gasped.

"What happened?" she shook her head.

"I don't want to say. Somebody might hear." by somebody, both men knew what she was talking about.

"Wait for the prison to air out, then lock everybody back in." Byakuya commanded, then motioned for the two to follow him. Sasake pulled her up and dragged her after him, while she coughed and stumbled. They stopped in the headquarters and Sasake shut the door.

"That thing?" she coughed again. "It was an assassination attempt. I saw the smoke come in from the vent right in front of me right after you left. They didn't get there smoke going in time." she coughed.

"Maybe we do need Squad Four." she shook her head, "I'm fine. We need to worry about who're they're going after next. Ukitake won't be able to handle if, even if he's awake. And no way they'll do the same thing every time." more coughing.

"Okay, you really need to get to Squad Four." she coughed, not able to disagree. Her coughing fit lasted for a few minutes, then she finally calmed down.

"Yeah. Captain Kuchiki?" he nodded and Sasake picked her up and shunpoed away. Isane met them at the entrance.

"Was she in the prison?" Sasake nodded and followed Isane away to a room with several other prisoners, who each had breathing masks on. Sasake set her down on a table.

"It's best to let her try and cough it out, then in between fits, put this on." he nodded and Isane disappeared. Shinobu grabbed the mask and put it on her face, feeling the sweet relief of pure air. She pulled it off and coughed again, blood hitting the table.

"Damn it. Lieutenant Kotetsu!" she walked into the room, "Oh my. Alright, miss. I need you to exhale as much as you can, then suck in fresh air." Shinobu nodded and did as told. "Repeat." Sasake watched as her fits spread out and grew less violent until they disappeared.

"Good, good. I think you're okay to leave."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Sasake motioned that he was going to pick her up, and she glared at him.

"I think not. I can use shunpo, thank you." she stood up and shunpoed away. He shrugged and followed. She stumbled into the office, where Byakuya was waiting.

"Okay. Who do you think would be next?"

"They seem to be picking off the strongest first. Making the weaker fear." Sasake commented.

"If that's the case, we should watch Ukitake and Zaraki."

"Huh?" Shinobu and Sasake looked at Byakuya.

"They could be trying to trick us."

"You're right. But there is no way we'll be able to convince Captain Commander. He won't listen to three people."

"But he might listen to four." Sasake commented. Now it was Shinobu and Byakuya's turn to stare.

"Yoruichi?"

"I made direct reports to her, and occasionally you."

"Oh yeah. Should I go find her?"

"No. You're supposed to be in prison. I know where she is." Shinobu nodded.

"I'll go back now." she turned around and opened the door, then started jogging. She saw the lightning before she felt it, but the two were very close together. She tripped and crumpled to the floor.

"What were you doing near our Captain's office? Trying to kill him?" in response, she only coughed up more blood.

"I thought so." he dragged her away back to her cell, and threw her inside. She hit the back wall and fell to the floor, still coughing.

"Serves you right, demon." she continued coughing until he was gone, then transformed into a cat, and continued coughing. She stumbled towards the edge of the cave and fell over, coughing fit past, energy spent, feeling weak. _If anyone sees me like this, they'll think I've escaped. I need to get my energy back up. _Another coughing fit attacked her, and Sasake came inside.

"You inherited that ability? You must not being feeling well at all. Can you get me your clothes? It'll be better if they think you're running around clothed." Shinobu got up and dragged her clothes over.

"Do not hurt my shoes." she hissed. Sasake nodded and left. She longingly watched her Nike basketball shoes go, then settled in for another fit.

"Why is there a cat in here? Where is the prisoner? Oh man I'm so so so screwed." the lightning man ran away and her coughing fit ended, glad for the distinctive male voice both her and Yoruichi had in cat form, she called out, "The prisoner is still here. She's just not visible. Do not worry about her, she's just sick." she called. The person came back.

"A talking cat?"

"No, I'm a talking leprechaun." she curled her tail around her feet.

"Do you know which corner she's in?"

"That one." she pointed with her tail to the nonexistent her.

"Great. Thanks, Mr. Cat." she grinned, then stepped through the bars and managed to get out of the building before coughing again. A few people stopped to watch the spectacle, but many more were busy. It ended, and she headed towards Byakuya's office. Luckily for her, the door was open enough, and he was still inside, doing paperwork. She slipped inside, then her knee faltered and she fell flat on her side. Byakuya looked at her, expecting to see a stupid squad member, only to find the familiar golden cat.

"What are you doing?" he got up and walked over to her, then picked her up and set her in a chair.

"I'm not okay. I transform when I get too weak." she started coughing again, then sat up and curled her tail around her paws.

"Where do my Squad members think you are?"

"Invisible. They'll believe anything to not get in trouble. When are you leaving to find Yoruichi?"

"Day's end," she nodded. The door slid open, and she quickly jumped onto the desk and started rubbing on Byakuya, who didn't look happy at her choice of actions. Renji just looked at the cat.

"When did you get a cat?"

"It followed me from the Shihoin Manor."

"Correction, you followed me." she whispered.

"Do you want me to have it put down?" her eyes widened.

"Just get it neutered." _Oh, he just called me a dude. _But instead of saying that, she let her eyes grow wider and did her best as a cat to frown at him. She sat down and curled her tail around her paws, then stepped on the tip.

"Alright." Renji moved to get her and she got ready to bite him.

"On second thought, don't. He'll keep Komamura away."

"Alright. I, uh, came to report that all the prisoners were back in their cells, and the girl we just brought in is invisible." she could see that Byakuya was restraining a laugh.

"Okay. You've got paperwork to do." Renji nodded and left to his room to do his paperwork. Shinobu looked at him.

"You're absolutely evil. You called me a dude, twice, and recommended that I get a vasectomy." this time he did smile a bit.

"You're cruel." she started coughing again.

"You're a masculine cat until you turn back."

"Delightful." she took a deep breath through her nose, then yawned.

"Do not sleep on my desk." she purred instead of laughing, "I won't. I'm a well trained cat. How much paperwork do you have?" he gestured to the stack that was twice as tall as her. Her jaw fell down, and she quickly closed it, "No wonder..." she laid down and set her head on her paws. He scratched between her ears, and she started purring, then quickly put a stop to it.

"Not nice." she muttered, then watched as paper after paper was put in the done stack. Only forty three sheets remained when the sun fell below the horizon and the office was thrown into blackness.

"And-" he shushed her as someone walked inside. He pretended he didn't know they were there and continued on his sheet. Shinobu, playing the cat, focused on the person's face.

"Captain, everybody is going to bed." he remained silent and the person left. She sat back down.

"You're a very boring person here."

"Would you have everybody bugging you all day, or everybody to afraid to come near you."

"Afraid to come near you? Pushah." he stood up as he finished the paper and put it in the done stack.

"Only forty two." she whispered. She jumped onto the floor and walked beside him, coughing every now and then.

"You need some rest. You shouldn't come." she shook her head, "I'm coming. I can't stay here, a cat wandering around. Someone might take me." he remained silent as they passed someone.

"You'd attack them before that happened." she purred, "True, true. Where to?"

"The manor. I've got to inform them I won't be eating dinner." when she realized he meant using shunpo, she jumped up onto his shoulder.

"I can't use it." he shunpoed away to the manor.

"Lord Kuchiki!" Nanami looked at her like she was a weirdo, and she sighed.

"I will not be here for dinner, or likely breakfast."

"Alright. Would you like us to take your, uh, cat?"

"No." Shinobu could tell he was uncomfortable with her there, so she shifted closer the the end of his shoulder.

"If I may inquire, why such a bright colour? Surely a black, white, or gray one would suit you better?"

"He," she bristled, "followed me, and won't leave me alone."

"You're-" she stopped herself before she finished, _an ass._

"Alright. Well, where are you going?"

"To find someone."

"Do you need any company?"

"No. Goodbye." he turned and left.

"Harsh goodbye." he didn't shrug as she would have expected, so she just stayed quiet until a question popped into her head.

"Where is Yoruichi?"

"In her room." he shunpoed to the Shihoin Manor.

"Lord Kuchiki!" the maids called as he passed.

"What are you doing here at this late hour?"

"Following up."

"I thought you caught her."

"We did. I want to know what she was here for." he brushed past the maid and slid into Yoruichi's room.

"You found me." the purple haired woman smiled.

"Wasn't hard. Of course, it was all him." Shinobu jumped off Byakuya's shoulder and into Yoruichi's arms. Another coughing fit found it's way into her system, and Yoruichi sighed.

"When did she get sick?"

"Assassination attempt on me."

"Hope it wasn't any of my people. They would actually make sure they got their target." Byakuya grimaced.

"Right. Just get her some water. What do you need?"

"We need you to help explain about the reason behind the thing I was supposed to tell Soifon." Shinobu explained before the noble could.

"Alright. Tomorrow then? I'll sneak into the meeting room."

"Can't promise I'll be human."

"Ugh, drink this." Yoruichi put some powder into a bowl of stones and water. Shinobu looked at her mother, then lapped up some water, only to feel her lungs clear instantly.

"Holy cow. That's a big pebble!" she pawed a large pebble out of the water.

"Hey, that's my grave dish!"

"Sorry, Yoruichi." she fought with the pebble to get it back in, but Byakuya just picked it up and dropped it in. She looked at him, tail swishing.

"Thanks." she sat down and curled her tail around her paws.

"That's it, right?"

"Yes."

"You better go. My elders are coming to pay homage." Yoruichi slipped into the closet, and Byakuya moved the dish of water back to it's former place. Shinobu jumped onto his shoulder, then started cleaning her wet feet as he left the room.

"We've got all night. Might as well take a walk." she offered up. He didn't respond, but didn't shunpo away. Instead he started walking back to the Kuchiki Manor. She let her tail droop down his back and looked upwards at the sky. The stars looked like sprinkles in navy blue icing. She smiled as only a cat can and let herself relax as she watched the sky. Two white doves flew over, a wing's length apart. They fluttered, chased eachother in a circle, then continued on in a straight path. Her cat's smile fell as she entered one of her rare peaceful moments. She turned at the sound of nibbling to find two squirrels sharing an acorn. A slight breeze blew and the squirrels climbed into a hole. She shivered and fluffed her fur out a bit.

"Cold?"

"A little. I'll get used to it though." she returned to looking at the stars. One twinkled and grew larger.

"Uh, Byakuya-san..." he followed her line of vision, then shunpoed out of range as the shining object struck the land. She jumped off his shoulder and sprinted back towards the area.

"What is it?"

"A piece of Sekki Sekki stone."

"Oh no." she saw the blood splattered part.

"I think someone got hurt. Should we go check it out?" he nodded and she jumped back onto his shoulder. He shunpoed back into the barracks.

"Squad Eleven..." someone started. Byakuya shunpoed away again. Indeed, a huge chunk of the wall surrounded the barracks was missing. Zaraki lay on the ground, bleeding heavily, and unconscious. She jumped off his shoulder again, landing softly on the captain.

"Still breathing. That's good." she whispered. She bit his finger, then spat.

"He's breathing, but not conscious. I think it was an incredibly strong bomb." a slight ticking noise met her ears. Byakuya noticed how her ear turned.

"What is it?"

"Get away. Go!" she turned and launched at him, claws extended. He shunpoed some distance away as the bomb went off, blowing her into a wall. She slid down to the ground and lay there, stunned for a second. The dust cleared and she looked at Byakuya, who was looking for her. She meowed loudly and he ran her direction, then knelt down beside her.

"Thank you."

"No problem. I think I broke my shoulder though. Okay, more appropriately, shattered it." to prove her point, she tried to set her foot down, and fell over. He picked her up and carried her like a normal cat, in the nook of his arm.

"Send for Unohana."

"Would you like a check over?" someone asked.

"No." he shunpoed away to Squad Seven.

"Sasake?"

"Here. Do you want her clothes?"

"Let her change in your bathroom. I need to take her to Squad Four."

"I have a-" she took her cue and shut up as someone passed. Sasake took her and carried him to her room.

"Your clothes are in the cabinet." he shut the door and she changed back. Minding her shoulder, she dressed, then stepped back out and went to find Byakuya.

"Ready?" she nodded and followed him to the Infirmary. Hanataro met them, then took her to a room. He gave her a sling.

"Sorry, can't heal it. Might not heal straight." she sighed and slipped her arm into the sling.

"Eh thanks."

"Hey, weren't you in here earlier? I recognize that scar." she froze.

"Oh, this? From a fight. I was in here earlier, but I left really soon after." Byakuya looked at her.

"Anyway, thanks. Gotta run, we've got a few problems." she followed him in shunpoing to his division.

"Captain, what happened in Squad Eleven?" several people asked before a crack silenced them all. Lightning split from the sky and Byakuya pulled Shinobu towards him before it hit her.

"Let go of Captain, you witch."

"This is so getting old." another bolt came down and again, Byakuya pulled her in front of him this time.

"I said let go!"

"Are you bent on electrocuting me?" she called.

"You witch!"

"That's enough, Saito."

"Has she taken over your mind as well, Captain?" Shinobu could here the crackling above them as another volt prepared it's self.

"Bakudo Thirty Nine, Enkosen." a yellow shield of Spiritual Energy appeared above them as the lightning struck. Shinobu flinched as tendrils came down over the edges of the shield and tried to get her. She ducked as a long one came, and Byakuya left his hand on her back. A few Soul Reapers in the group restrained Saito as he tried to throw himself at the two and electrocute Shinobu with touch. She glanced up, then straightened her back. The shield above disappeared.

"Keep him in his room." Renji appeared before his Captain, and his hand flew to Zabimaru at his side.

"Calm down. She's harmless." Shinobu glared at the noble. Renji narrowed his eyes, then finally noticed the splint.

"Oh. What happened in Squad Eleven?"

"An accident." she supplied. Renji looked to Byakuya to give this statement truth. The noble nodded. The crowd started muttering, "Oh!" and, "Oh.", then dispersed back to their rooms.

"Guess I'll go back to my cell." he nodded, and she turned and walked away, opened her cell door, closed it, and sat in a corner of the room.

"I feel like I'm sixteen again, and one of the maids accidentally locked me in a closet for three hours. Yoruichi and Urahara freaked out bad." she whispered to herself, then closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.

She blinked at the sudden bright light around her, then realized it must be morning.

"Shinobu, it's time." she shook her head to clear away all thoughts, then stood up, though using only one hand made it hard. She walked over to the door and kicked it open. It groaned as it moved, filling the silence.

"That was loud." he nodded in agreement, then shunpoed away. She followed to a pair of giant double doors. Feeling puny and insignificant next to them, she stepped back a few feet.

"You've got to keep your head high, and look him in the eye." he advised. She nodded and took a deep breath, finding comfort in her familiar basketball shoes. Sasake joined them shortly, then the doors creaked open, and she followed Byakuya in. The trio bowed.

"This is the intruder?"

"Yes."

"And what do you have to tell me, child?" she bit back her ready retort. _Who you callin' child? You calling me that would be like me calling you Old Geezer. You wanna be called that? _Luckily, her mother saved her from her silence.

"Sorry I'm late." Yoruichi came to a stop behind Shinobu and put a hand on her bad shoulder. A sharp intake of breath forced Yoruichi to remove her hand.

"I broke that shoulder." she whispered.

"Sorry."

"What is the meaning of this?"

"She was needed to explain." Byakuya supplied.

"After I left Soul Society the second time, I had more than a squadful of loyal friends. Sasake was one of them. He joined any and every group that formed in his Squad, and reported back to me after each meeting. The most recent group he joined, well, he reported that the group was a cult of Aizen followers that believed he was the almighty, and were going to follow in his footsteps, with a different course of action." Yoruichi looked at Sasake, who took his cue to speak.

"The course of action was simple. Assassinate each Captain, one by one. I reported this to Yoruichi-sama, who promised to send someone to look into it."

"And that is where I came in. Yoruichi and Urahara sent me here to do three things. Steal a knife back from the Shihoin Manor. That was simple, and what Squad Six caught me in the middle of doing. The second was to free Suzumaki, because she was innocent of the accused crime. That was caused by the Aizen Cult. Third was to warn Soifon, telling her only that Yoruichi said, 'Aizen was the beginning.' Sadly, after I got the knife, I got away and freed Suzu, only to be chased down by Kuchiki-san. He chased me to a gorge, where I slipped and fell."

"I tried to catch her, only succeeding in pulling myself in. After we both washed up, I took her back to the Manor to recuperate. Afterward, I brought her back here where she alerted me of the plan of hers. We figured out after they smoked out our prison that they were starting with the stronger captains, as seen by last night's attempt on Zaraki's life, where her shoulder was shattered." Shinobu did as Byakuya had suggested, holding eye contact with the Captain Commander.

"So what do you wish me to do?"

"Since Zaraki had already been attempted, but failed, I'm guessing that we should place guards to watch out for Ukitake, and Kyoraku. We figured that they might be tricking us with the stronger captain thing, so we added Ukitake into our list."

"And what of Kuchiki and Zaraki?"

"No one would attempt to get Zaraki while he was in the Infirmary. They'd have no time to set anything up, as there would constantly be people around him. And as for Kuchiki-san, I believe he can take care of himself." Shinobu answered again. This time it was Yoruichi's turn to stare.

"I never knew my daughter had brains."

"Daughter?"

"Miya, or Shinobu, is Urahara and my daughter. I sent her to investigate because I trained her myself, so I thought she'd be as good as me. Little did I know, she'd freak once Kuchiki caught her in cat form." Shinobu turned red. The Captain Commander closed his eyes and Shinobu let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She could feel the tension in the air. _Will he agree to our plan, or arrest all four of us for assisting me? _Upon thinking that thought, Shinobu tensed.

"Uh, Captain Commander? If you choose to discard my mission as a stupid thing or something, I want to take all punishment, responsibility, and such. These three carried out none of the actions that should be tried against." now Byakuya, Sasake, and Yoruichi stared at her.

"What? It's true!" Captain Commander's eyes snapped open.

"I shall call a Captains meeting to alert them of our current status. No one else is to know about our plans, other than those directly involved. Yoruichi and Shinobu Shihoin are hereby allowed to stay in Soul Society, but next time, should alert me when carrying out missions as such." Shinobu sighed out of relief, and excepted Yoruichi's hug.

"Sasake, you are dismissed. Yoruichi and Shinobu, accompany me to the Captains Meeting." Yoruichi fell in step with the old man, and Shinobu in step with Byakuya.

"You shouldn't have said that."

"That I would take all punishment?"

"Yes,"

"Why?"

"Because you never know what he'll decide."

"Afraid to lose me?" she teased, then saw the seriousness her words had provoked.

"Uh, sorry, but I was speaking my mind, and the truth. You guys didn't deserve to be punished in anyway. You were simply waiting for me to become better so you could take me into custody. Yoruichi only broke me into Soul Society, then broke in herself. Sasake only helped get me out of trouble a few times. None of that is as serious as some of the stuff I did."

"Like breaking into Soul Society and freeing a criminal?"

"That's what I meant. Well, that, and dragging a captain over the edge of a gorge." he chuckled and she looked at him, then ran into the door in front of her. She started falling back and he caught her.

"Thank you." she grinned, then entered the room and stood beside her mom. Byakuya stood at his squad's place. Yoruichi nudged her as Captain Commander called the meeting.

"Do you have a crush on Byakuya-bo?" Shinobu's eyes widened and she looked at her mother.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

"You're the worst mother ever."

"And the best friend." the room started filling up, and not as expected, people were looking at Shinobu, not Yoruichi. Only then did she realize Yoruichi had a hand around her shoulders.

"OW." she pushed her mother off and stopped herself from smacking her.

"That was my bad shoulder!"

"Sorry. Forgot. Again."

"Apparently. Like I said, worst mother ever."

"I have called this meeting to discuss an important matter." everybody looked at the man.

"A mission carried out in secret by Shinobu Shihoin was conducted in order to warn us of a menace, which I incorrectly identified as being her. She has informed me that there is a group among the squads, who are followers of Aizen. They follow in his footsteps, trying a different tactic. They try to assassinate each Captain, one by one. Many of you no doubt, have heard of the Squad Six Prison Smoking, and the bomb in Squad Eleven. We have agreed that they seem to be going after the strongest first, but it has been brought to my attention that perhaps they are doing that to confuse us, then go after the weakest. From now all, all Captains will be assigned three Stealth Force members to protect them. Kyoraku and Ukitake will both have six, as we've decided they are the next targets. No one is to know about this, unless directly involved. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Kyoraku held up his hand.

"Who is Shinobu Shihoin?"

"Uh, me. Her daughter." Shinobu answered.

"Me too." Toshiro.

"What about Kuchiki?"

"We've agreed that he can take care of himself." Shinobu grinned. _My words exactly. _

"Anything else?" nobody spoke up.

"Soifon, spread your members out accordingly. Dismissed." several captains crowded around Shinobu, making her uncomfortable.

"So you're Yoruichi's daughter?" several asked.

"Back off!" Yoruichi pushed Shinobu through a small gap in the crowd. She stumbled out, and Byakuya took her arm and dragged her away.

"Thanks."

"They're like vultures." he muttered.

"Isn't that true. Hey, uh where are we going?" his step faltered.

"You don't know?" she laughed and he stopped walking, then leaned against the wall.

"Far enough away that they won't follow." she looked at him.

"Was it really that easy to figure out?"

"Your claustrophobic."

"Yes, that." she sighed and joined him in leaning against the wall, "We just gonna leave everyone else in there?"

"I don't need any bodyguards." a smile hinted at the corner of her lips.

"Apparently, since you like to do things your own way, and they'd only get in the way. So how do we go about uncovering the groups?"

"I suggest starting within Kyoraku's Squad. Just snoop around."

"Snoop? Never thought I'd hear a noble say snoop."

"I've been around you the past few days."

"Are you saying I'm a bad example of good speech? I'm hurt." she put her good hand over her heart.

"Yo! Shinobu, Byakuya-bo!" she glanced at Byakuya at her mother's nickname.

"We need to discuss strategy."

"Taken care of. You and I will 'snoop'," she grinned, "around Ukitake's and Kyoraku's Barracks at night. Then during the day, I dunno. We do some noble stuff." Yoruichi laughed.

"I'm sure Byakuya-bo wouldn't call it stuff."

"Like he would ever use the word snoop. Anyway, we've got 'noble stuff' to do for ten hours?"

"Yeah. Byakuya-bo, sorry, but we must take our leave."

"Where are we going? Where are we-" Yoruichi grabbed her good arm and shunpoed away. They came to a stop in the Shihoin Manor.

"Master Yoruichi! The Intruder!"

"She's my daughter, numbskulls."

"Oh." the maids regarded Shinobu with a wary eye, "the Elders will want a meeting with... both of you. I will tell them you've come home. Please wait in the meeting room." Shinobu followed Yoruichi into a large room with several pillows on the floor. Yoruichi took the red one, while the rest were golden. Shinobu stood behind Yoruichi.

"Sit down Shinobu."

"Nah, my butt hurts." the elders filed in and filled their respective pillow.

"Who is this, Yoruichi?"

"Do you not recognize my daughter? And I thought for sure she hadn't change much in the century we've been missing." Shinobu smacked Yoruichi on the head.

"I get the point. You wanted to talk?"

"Oh, we have various things to speak of. Master Shinobu, you may want to take a seat." reluctantly, Shinobu sat beside Yoruichi.

"Now, several people have been asking for land..."

"No. Absolutely not. Nobody with have any of the land. You may have stooped that low, but I won't." _Stooped? _

"Alright. Next matter. We need to get you suited with a hu-"

"Where do you think I went when I left? Shinobu is my _daughter_. I have a _lover. _No husband. Besides, Shinobu will be the next head of the family."

"Say what?" she stared at Yoruichi, who didn't respond.

"If that is the case, then I think we should start looking for a husband for her then. We shall-"

"Okay, stop." the elders shushed and Shinobu looked each one in the eye.

"I may not have been raised to be a noble, but I know I have the _dignity _to find my own husband. If I have to be the next head of the clan, I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my personal business." the elders looked stricken, and Shinobu sat back, proud of her work.

"A-alright then. Land, no. Husbands, no. There is one more thing, if I can remember..."

"Husbands was the end." someone said, "And, I will press the matter. You must have a suitable husband, soon, before you pass your prime."

"My _prime? _Excuse me, but I think I'll be fine for the next three hundred years. Hell, even longer than that, probably. And if I marry, you seem to have forgotten that traditionally, the girl takes the boy's name. Not vice versa." the elders looked stunned.

"If that's it, I'm going for a walk. Be back when I'm not going to strangle any of you." they took her threat quite seriously and cleared her path for her as she stormed out of the house, running off to the gorge. She traced her path along the edge, reliving the events of the day. She found the ledge, then located the area she slipped off of. She laid down and crawled towards the edge, then looked down. A rock fell, and she looked back as the land started slipping.

"Shit." she stood up, which only caused the land to slip more.

"Shinobu?" _Don't tell me the land on the other side is his. _The land slid into the gorge, and she shut her eyes, but didn't fall. She looked up and smiled at Byakuya.

"That makes three times that you've kept me from falling in."

"Only twice."

"Eh, whatever." he pulled her up and she sat on the new edge.

"Shouldn't come near here anymore, should I?" he chuckled.

"What? Every time I come near here, I fall!" she looked at the water below.

"So is your property on the other side of here?"

"Yes. Yoruichi has been trying to get the land for sometime." Shinobu laughed.

"Sounds like her. Anyway, what were you doing, walking along the gorge?"

"Walking."

"No, you were riding an invisible unicorn." she cracked her neck and laid down.

"Well, you better continue your walk. I'd hate to take away anymore of your precious free time. Besides, if your lieutenant is doing the paperwork, it'll never get done," Byakuya realized what she meant and disappeared.

"That kid has never gotten anything done right." she stretched out and closed her eyes. _Whenever you decide to return to the house, Shinobu, don't strangle anyone. It won't sound good if you want a boyfriend someday._

"Who am I kidding? I'm a hundred twenty five and haven't had a boyfriend." she rolled onto her side. _And have had only one crush. _She shook her head clear of such thoughts, then willed herself to fall asleep right there. It had taken most of her energy to keep her from attacking the elders.

Shinobu sat up, realizing she had really fallen asleep. Either night had fallen, or somebody moved her. She looked upwards at the sky, which revealed it was night. The moon was covered by clouds, and she could feel the humidity on her skin.

"I can't get wet. It's so going to rain." as if she'd cued the clouds, buckets of rain started pouring down. She covered her head with her hands and ran for cover in the woods, which proved to be a mistake, as the leaves channeled water so when she got hit, it was a lot of water. She dodged through the spouts, and stepped in a puddle, splashing water over her shoes.

"God damn it, not my shoes!" she continued running to the house, then ducked inside.

"Yoruichi still here?"

"Yes. In her room, waiting for you." she ran into her mother's room, then pulled her shoes off.

"Any spare clothes?" Yoruichi threw an outfit similar to her own at Shinobu, who changed and slipped into the shoes.

"Ready to go?"

"It's raining out there." Yoruichi's face twisted for a moment.

"We'll be fine." Yoruichi stepped outside and Shinobu followed.

"We'll be going out. Don't expect us back until dawn." the pair shunpoed off to the respective Squads, and Shinobu stopped in Squad Eight. Luckily, it was late at night, so all were asleep. She neared the Captain's room, and the six guards nodded to her. She nodded back, then paused. _He drinks. They could frame it as alcohol poisoning._

"I need to go inside. Is he asleep?"

"Passed out."she nodded and slid inside, then followed her nose to the alcohol. She grabbed as many bottles as she could, then stopped and noticed they were all covered in dust. She put them back down, then looked at the two not covered in dust. One was empty, so she grabbed the other one, which had a purple liquid dripping down the side. She slid outside.

"Make sure he doesn't drink anything more." two guards headed inside, and she shunpoed to Squad Twelve, glad to see Kurotsuchi was awake still.

"Test this for poisons."

"Specifics?"

"Anything purple." he poured the bottle out into test tubes and stuck them in a machine. Seconds later, it printed something out.

"Poisoned with rat poison, dyed purple."

"Great. Thanks. Now I've got to go get rid of all of his sake." she shunpoed back to Kyoraku's room and took all the bottles, opened them, and poured out the stuff into a dumpster, then threw out the bottles.

"Not sure if all of them are poisoned or not. And how did he get inside? Must've been before they got home." she shunpoed away to Ukitake's place. She watched as her mother moved into a trip line.

"Oh god." she knocked Yoruichi over, breaking the line herself. Two arrows shot, one hitting her in the stomach, another grazing her arm. She winced and pulled the arrow out.

"Tell me you saw that trip line."

"Trip line?" Shinobu dropped to her knee.

"Don't take me to the Infirmary. They've seen enough of me in the past few days. Just take me back to the Manor."

"I don't trust anyone at our Manor. They all seem to want you dead."

"So then where?"

"The Kuchiki Manor." Shinobu put an arm around Yoruichi's shoulders, and in turn, Yoruichi around Shinobu's waist. They shunpoed away, and came to a stop. Shinobu stumbled, but Yoruichi caught her and knocked. Nanami answered.

"Yoruichi-sama! Shinobu! Oh my god what happened? Come inside! I'll go get the bandages."

"Nanami, who's here?"

"The Shihoin's. Shinobu got hurt. Why did you come here?"

"Shinobu refused to go the the Infirmary, and I don't trust anyone at our Manor."

"Maybe she should stay here?" Nanami suggested, then ran off to find the bandages. Shinobu grit her teeth as Yoruichi set her down on the floor.

"You didn't see the trip line?"


	3. Chapter 3

"No, but you shouldn't have done that." the noble lady scolded. Shinobu grinned, despite herself.

"Don't yell at me like a kid. I'm taller than you. That arrow would have gone through your chest. Actually, I'm way taller than you. I'm five eight, and probably weigh more than you too." she winced as she shifted. Byakuya came out of his den and looked at her, then narrowed his eyes.

"Did you pull it out?" she didn't stop to think about how he knew it was an arrow.

"Yes."

"Did you see the arrowhead?" she thought back.

"No." she winced again.

"It would have been poison coated."

"These people are getting smarter. A mere arrow wouldn't hurt Ukitake, but poison would do him in, fast." Yoruichi commented.

"If it's still in my gut, I should pull it out, right?" she winced again, then stuck her fingers inside the hole and quickly found the arrowhead, and pulled it out, then dropped it on the floor. She looked at her blood covered fingers, then wiped them off on her shirt.

"Mission succeeded." Nanami came back with a roll of white bandage.

"She's going to need an antidote soon. I'll take this to Kurotsuchi and find out what was on it."

"It's a dry poison." Shinobu gasped.

"Probably activated by water." Yoruichi nodded and left. Shinobu started to get up, but Byakuya stopped her, putting a hand on her head.

"You shouldn't move, it'll spread the poison. Nanami, I want you to make sure all the other maids and servants are asleep." Nanami nodded dashed away, leaving the bandage roll on the floor.

"Don't want anyone getting me while I'm down?" she winced again, and he looked at the hole, which was turning purple at the edges, and spreading.

"Yoruichi better hurry." he looked away.

"That bad, huh?" her eyes were shut now, trying to block out the burning sensation.

"Just hold on."

"Everyone is asleep." Nanami reported.

"Alright, make sure it stays that way." Nanami left again, and Yoruichi arrived, a small white tube in hand.

"It's a slow acting antidote. It will take a few days to get it all out of her system, so she can't be active." Kneeling down by Shinobu, she started applying it to the inside of the wound.

"It doesn't feel any different. Still on fire." She groaned and Yoruichi grabbed the bandage.

"I'll do this, but we'll need a room."

"The room from before." Yoruichi picked Shinobu up and ran to the hall, then quickly wrapped her midsection. Shinobu passed out sometime during, and when Yoruichi finished, she sighed.

"I don't know if she'll be strong enough to survive."

"She is. It's not the first time she's been poisoned."

"Both times intentionally." Yoruichi muttered.

"You should probably go finish checking Ukitake's Division for things."

"Right. If she wakes up or dies or something, come get me." Yoruichi shunpoed away, and Byakuya just looked at the unconscious Shinobu. The purple area had stopped spreading, but wasn't shrinking either. He remembered her arm bleeding, and took the balm and pulled the sheet away. Her whole upper arm down to her elbow was purple. He put the balm on on the cut and waited for the purple to stop, which it did. He grabbed the bandage and wrapped her arm, then tied the bandage tied. She jerked and her eyes snapped open.

"Ouch..." she mumbled, but stayed down. Byakuya looked at her.

"Nanami, you can go to bed."

"Hai, Lord Kuchiki!" Shinobu looked at him.

"Why are you two awake anyway?"

"She's always up late. I was reading."

"You have time to read? You must do bunches of other things I figured you couldn't do." she teased. The corners of his lips twitched, threatening to turn into a smile, but he kept his emotionless face on.

"So. You realize they are going to go after you next, right? They've probably got spies that heard the meeting." Byakuya grimaced.

"I know you're really strong and such, but all these things are sneak attacks. Someone could put a snake in your bedding for all we know." Byakuya looked like he was going to reply, but stopped.

"Something wrong?"

"Don't sit up." he said before she could. She knit her eyebrows, but stayed where she was.

"What if they're after you and Yoruichi first? To get you out of the way? You seem willing to give yourself up for anybody."

"Not anybody! Just people I care about." she cried defensively. This time a smile seeped through the emotionless expression.

"Besides... I might not especially _care _about Ukitake or Kyoraku, but they are Captains, and if any more went missing, you guys would have a bit of a problem."

"We could always ask Urahara and Yoruichi back."

"That's only two. There's still be three or something missing."

"Then you too."

"What? No! I can't show anybody my Zanpakuto." Byakuya looked up at her.

"You have one?"

"Yeah. But it's in _our _manor. Been there for a hundred years." she let her head lay back onto the pillow.

"And if they're after Yoruichi and me, then I'll probably go first, then she'll be on guard."

"I think the opposite."

"Huh?"

"Wouldn't she be demoralized about the loss of her daughter?"

"Well, yeah, but she's got bigger problem than that, so she'd get over it." Byakuya looked at her quizzically.

"What?"

"You think your life means that little?"

"Well yeah. Just one Soul among thousands of millions of others. I think we can spare a few. And I'll be reborn, so no loss."

"And what of the people who care about you?"

"They can be happy thinking I died for a good cause." She propped herself up. Byakuya leaned in and his lips met hers. Surprisingly, Shinobu wasn't surprised. Okay, she was, but didn't show it, only returning the affection. He pulled away slightly.

"Not good enough." She grinned.

"Is this your way of telling me to stop getting hurt?" he chuckled and actually smiled. Her grin grew bigger, and quickly vanished when Yoruichi came in.

"Something happened. We need you, Byakuya." he stood up and followed her away.

"Don't get hurt." she whispered, then fell back into the pillow.

"Okay, now I'm paranoid." she pulled her legs out from under the blankets and flipped onto her side, quickly falling asleep.

Shinobu woke up with a start, not recognizing where she was. Her vision swung around the room, taking in the photo of a foxglove(look it up!), and the cream coloured walls. She then looked at her arm, which suddenly started hurting, then everything came rushing back. She shut her eyes at the pain in her arm, and remembered not to sit up. She looked down at her stomach and sighed, realizing it was bandaged. She flipped onto her back and scooted herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes caught a note on the bedside table, and she reached for it. Grabbing it with her fingertips, she lifted it up and opened it.

"Shinobu,

Byakuya-bo and I are needed in the Barracks. The problem last night was Captain Kyoraku got a little bit of poisoning," she mentally cursed herself for not getting him checked out, "and had stumbled, screaming in agony, into Ukitake's room, which caused him to roll off the bed and crack his head on a table. We weren't sure if it was another attack, so both of us were called in. Should be back around dinnertime, and I'll bring you a change of clothes.

Shihoin Yoruichi." Shinobu cracked her neck and set the letter down in her lap.

"Why does she always call him Byakuya-bo?" she pondered.

"Lord Kuchiki hasn't been the same since that girl came. He's seems more open."

"Isn't that good?" Shinobu shushed to listen to the two maids outside her door.

"Not at all! He is known by his cold reactions to everything. Indifference is what he has become. How will people react if he starts laughing in public? They'll think he's gone crazy."

"Or that someone opened him up."

"Nonsense! They'll think he's crazy, and the Kuchiki name will lose it's status to the Shihoin. We can't let that happen."

"Maybe he's fallen in love with her?"

"Don't think such lies!" Shinobu cringed at the sound of someone striking another.

"Sorry. I was out of line and will forget all about that suggestion."

"You would do well to forget that, indeed. Now, before any are suspicious of our whereabouts, let us get back to work." the two ran away, and Shinobu let out her breath she'd been holding.

"I wonder if he knows his maids are so harsh, and think so strictly about him?" the door slid open and Nanami slipped through, then held up a hand to silence Shinobu before she spoke. She slid the door shut.

"No one is to know your here. I'd recommend becoming a cat and curling up on the bed, since everybody knows about the cat." she nodded and did so, then curled up. Nanami fixed the sheets and hid the clothes and note, then left.

"The cat messed up the bed in there again." she lied. Shinobu grinned, then realized her bandages had stayed on her body, still wrapped firmly around her midsection and arm.

"Oh wait! Hang on, I'll be back." Nanami ran back into the room, pulled out the black bow, and tied it around Shinobu's neck as a collar.

"There. Cute as a button." then she ran away again.

"Sorry! Let's keep going." Shinobu lay in wait until dinnertime, where she realized was starved. Byakuya entered the room and looked around for her.

"Bed." she called, stretched out on her side.

"Why...?"

"Nanami recommended it. In case anyone came in. Did you know that your maids are evil? One smacked another for simply voicing her opinion." he grimaced.

"I try not to concern myself in their affairs."

"Try? I should go find the one and bite her in the ankle."

"Don't. Yoruichi won't be by until later. I'll have the chef bring fish and milk in."

"Thanks. I'm starved." he nodded and walked away.

"Well, accurately described." she muttered and curled up in a tighter ball. Minutes later, the chef walked in and set down a bowl of milk and a dish with fish on the bed. _Yum. _She got up and walked over, then laid back down, her shoulder and gut burning. She lapped at the milk and ate the fish, in silence. Once done, she looked up at the chef and followed him as he moved and stroked her.

"You're a cute cat." she started purring.

"Oh, gotta run kitty. Bye." he grabbed the dishes and left. Taking her chance in solitary, she turned her attention to her shoulder and licked her fur the wrong way, exposing the still purple skin underneath. It had shrunken along with her size, but in proportion, it was healing rapidly, now covering only her shoulder. She pushed it back the right way, and Yoruichi appeared in front of her.

"Under the bed." was all Shinobu said. Yoruichi set the clothes down and shunpoed away. _Great. Living in secret, with maids who hate me, relationship issues, and a parent who can't speak to me for fear of giving away my identity. _She laid down and willed herself to fall asleep again.

She opened her eyes and pulled herself into a sitting position, then looked at her hands, remembering that she was a cat. She turned to her shoulder, and licked her fur the wrong way.

"One way to find out." she whispered when she couldn't see any purple. She changed back into her human form and got dressed in the clothes that Yoruichi had brought. A backless halter and baggy pants with amber armbands. She clenched her fist after slipping the armbands on, and tore the bandage off her stomach before putting the top on. The purple was completely gone.

"Slow acting my ass." she slipped the white piece on first then pulled the halter over her head and slipped into the black slippers.

"This is so I can use Shunko. Good thing she helped me get a grip on that." the door slid open and she turned around.

"What?"

"I'm fine now. See you around, Nanami." she untied the ribbon around her neck and tied her hair up, grabbed her other clothes, winked, and shunpoed away. She stopped in front of the Shihoin Manor and slid the door open.

"Yoruichi home?"

"She's not. Would you-"

"No." the maid looked up.

"Oh! Alright. Your room is right this way." Shinobu was led to a room, quite identical to the one in the Kuchiki Manor, even with the same Foxglove picture.

"Now who copied who?" she set her clothes down on her bed, then shut her door behind her as she exited, and shunpoed away to Squad Six.

"Byakuya around?" she asked Renji, who looked at her.

"His office."

"Thank you, Renji."

"How do you..." she ignored him and made a beeline for the office, then slid the door open.

"Where's Yoruichi?" he looked up from his paperwork.

"You're up?"

"And ready to kick some conniving ass. Where is she?"

"Patrolling around the barracks."

"Thank you. Nanami is probably tiding up the room and the cat has disappeared once more." she turned and walked away, pony tail flying behind her. She shunpoed to the outside of the barracks.

"Yoruichi-sama!" she called, mimicking Soifon's voice.

"Soifon, I told you-"

"Uh, I'm not Soifon." Yoruichi grinned at Shinobu.

"Up and dressed already? I thought for sure you'd still be asleep."

"Nah. And this is really comfortable! Where can I get more of these?"

"I've got extras. What do you want to do?"

"Well, Squads Twelve, Eight, and Thirteen are out of the draw. Six is most likely for strongest next, but you've got them. Four would be next. They don't want us to be healing injured Captains."

"Go check around Four, but _stay out of sight. _If anything turns up, Byakuya-bo will come find you."

"Check. See ya." Shinobu shunpoed away to Squad Four, and landed in a tree. The Stealth Force member below her looked up, and she brought her arms up to cover her face.

"Must've been a squirrel." she grinned and brought her arms down, then dropped down and made sure not a leaf shook. She shunpoed away. _What would they do... _She stopped in her search just a hand landed on her shoulder, causing her to turn and attempt to punch the person in the gut. Byakuya caught her fist.

"They found the trap?" he nodded.

"I think I know what's going to happen here. Whatever keeps happening, it's not like a direct assassination. They're making it impossible to track them down. I think they're going to give someone a sickness so bad that Unohana will have to work on them, and then the sickness will transfer to her, and ultimately kill her before we can find a cure." she let her clenched hand relax, then noted something shining behind them.

"Back up attempt." she said, intended for a whisper, then spun around so she was behind Byakuya. A silver needle shot, catching her in the spine. She winced, then pulled the needle out and shunpoed away, wrenching the shooter's arm behind his back, making him cry out.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he cried.

"The-" her knees buckled.

"Cure." she finished. Byakuya turned around and caught her before she fell.

"Take him. I'll be fine."

"No you won't." a Stealth Force person appeared before them, then two more.

"Take him." they nodded and disappeared.

"Well, seems like-" she winced again, "-I was right."

"We need to get you inside."

"No. If I'm-" she winced again, "-right, I'll last the longest of anyone." ignoring her, he picked her up bridal style for the second time, and shunpoed inside.

"Unohana." the raven haired woman turned around. As she took her time walking over, Shinobu could tell she was heating up with a fever. Chills ran over her arms while her head felt like it was two hundred degrees. Her back was starting to ache as well.

"We need to hurry." Byakuya obviously could tell she was heating up, even though there was a two layers of cloth in between the skin.

"This way, Captain Kuchiki." he shunpoed after Unohana and Shinobu kept in a sigh at the cold metal on her back.

"Wait. You can't heal me." she sat up.

"We-"

"No. You _can't _heal me. We don't know what will happen."

"What are you talking about?" Byakuya explained while Shinobu fought internally with herself to retain consciousness.

"So you're afraid that if I heal you, I'll die?" Shinobu nodded.

"Eh, Captain Unohana? Why don't we have someone lesser heal her, then when they get bad, someone else heal them. Get a group of six people in here, and just go in a circle?"

"Get the Poison Squad. I think there is enough of them." Shinobu clenched her fists at her side.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't stay awake."

"Try,"

"What do you think I'm doing?" she bit her lip and it split open. The pain sent a jolt through her, and she opened her eyes all the way.

"Ow. That hurt." she wiped off the blood. She paused. _Pain._

"Anyone got a match?"

"Why?"

"Because pain helps me stay awake."

"No."

"If I-"

"There has to be another way."

"Do you want to pinch me? Cause I'm not doing it. We don't know how long he-" a sharp intake of breath forced everyone in the room to look at her. Her nails dug into her palm and Byakuya looked at her.

"Are they here yet?"

"A few minutes. They were farther away than expected." Worry glittered in his eyes.

"Do you have any pain killers?"

"Not strong enough for this." Shinobu could feel her heart slowing.

"Not soon enough." she whispered, the paining ringing loud and true in her voice. Suddenly, Unohana's hands were above her, a faint blue light glowing on soft side of her hands. Shinobu could feel the pain leaving and her body relaxed.

"No!" she pushed the Captain away from her.

"Do you want to live?"

"No as much as I want everyone else to be fine."

"I'll go see where they are." the extra healer said, leaving the room. She wiped her lip off again.

"If-"

"When."

"Fine. _When _I survive, not a word gets to Yoruichi." the two Captains agreed and Shinobu laid back, the muscles in her back straining from the little bit of work it took to sit up.

"Oh man, they couldn't have made a worse thing." she groaned. The team came inside, and Unohana started healing her again, Byakuya restraining her from pushing the captain away. Shinobu sat up.

"I hate you so much." she said, pointedly at Byakuya. She saw the grin beneath the surface and sighed.

"Squad Twelve. Now. We need to ask Kurotsuchi for a cure." Byakuya's face twisted, then righted it's self.

"What's with you and that creepy Captain?" she paused.

"Oh, wait, never mind. I get it. Or do I? Maybe I don't. No-" a look from him silenced her.

"Okay. Just, forget I asked at all. Can we just go?" he nodded and she shunpoed off, and skidded to a halt behind the blue haired man.

"Kurotsuchi-sama!" she cried, causing him to jump.

"What do you want child?"

"Hey! Just because I'm younger than you doesn't mean you can be evil. We need a cure." she reached to her back and wiped off a bit of blood.

"Hm. What are you going to need?"

"A vile of blood, at least. Maybe the direct poison would help..."

"Can't get that. Byakuya-sama?" she handed him a vile and he flashed away. She squinted at the computer screen.

"What the _hell_ are you working on?"

"A new potion that enhances a certain physical ability in a person."

"What certain ability?"

"Depends on the person."

"Is there a sample or trial run?"

"Later."

"I'll be there." Byakuya returned and dropped the vile into the opposing captain's hand. He put it in a machine, which spun.

"Two minutes. I hope no one is poisoned with this. It should kill in a mere minute." Shinobu blinked.

"I am a lucky ass then. Oh shit. I'm going to go check on Unohana. Try not to kill eachother?" she shunpoed, back to the room. The people in the circle were looking extremely tired.

"Cure in two minutes." she said, then left again, going much slower than before. She arrived just as Kurotsuchi finished the cure.

"Why are you so fast?"

"Not a poison I can't cure speedily."

"Whatever." she dismissed his boasting, took the vile with the cure, and looked at Byakuya.

"Age before beauty." he shunpoed off and she followed. She stopped and opened the door, and tossed the vile to a member who wasn't looking good. She drank a bit, then passed it around the circle. They gave it back and she had the last drop, then covered her mouth, and doubled over.

"Possible side effects would include vomiting, stomach cramps, head aches, dizziness, and drowsiness." and the creepy captain was gone. Shinobu righted herself and leaned against the wall, ignoring the pain in her stomach.

"Fast acting medicine." she whispered. Unohana was the only person, excluding Byakuya and Shinobu, who was on her feet.

"That Kurotsuchi." the healer shook her head and left. Shinobu looked at the pale captain beside her.

"Are you going to get mad at me if I tell you that I'm going to a Trial Run for Kurotsuchi." by the way his eyes hardened she sighed.

"Of course." she glanced back down at the people on the floor, winced as her cramp twinged, then looked back at him.

"Well, I'm going as soon as this damn cramp goes away. See you later." she grinned, then shunpoed back to the Shihoin Manor and sat laid on her bed, clutching her stomach.

"Oooohhh, ow..." she groaned. An arm dangled off the side of the bed, and her fingers brushed something under the bed. The cramp vanished, then came back.

"Mizutateru." she whispered, then rolled over so she could grab the blade.

"I was wondering where Yoruichi-sama had hid you." the cramp vanished she she lifted the blade up onto the bed and brushed the dust off.

"Kinda want to use you. Shall we go train, since, thanks to you, my cramp is gone?" the blade shook, and she grinned, then got up and shunpoed off into a clearing in the woods surrounding the Manor. She slipped the sheath into the sash tied around her waist, and looked down. The hilt of the blade was a navy blue with white, diamond shaped indents, three on either side. The hand guard was a six point star, or a David Star. She gripped the hilt and pulled the blade out of it's sheath. It was a normal katana blade, with the exception of the kanji written down the side. スティルウォーター間でさざ波スプレッド, Ripples Spread Across Still Water, was engraved up the length of the sword in black metal. She flipped the blade in a circle around her hand, then hacked at a tree, leaving a deep scar.

"I haven't lost my touch." she muttered. She brought the blade up, over her head, and pointed down her back to stop an attack from behind.

"You're lacking." was all she said before turning and aiming a fist into the person's gut. He caught it, with some difficulty, and she tried a round house kick, which he also stopped. She dropped her extremities, and took a step back.

"What? Felt the need to come watch me?" she inquired, placing a hand on her hip, spinning Mizutateru around in her other hand. She could feel the blade tingling beneath her fingertips, and felt the mutual excitement.

"I was only passing through." she looked behind her.

"Straight to the Shihoin Manor?"

"This area." Byakuya added.

"Oh?"

"I have business with the elders."

"Them? I could care less about them. They want to marry me off. Any who, you should probably get going. If Yoruichi-sama told me anything about the Elders, it's that they get really pissed if you're not on time." he nodded and flashed away.

"Why does he 'have business with the Elders'?" she pondered, swinging Mizutateru around.

"Ripples Spread Across Still Water, Mizutateru." she threw the blade up into the trees and moved to the side as it stabbed itself into the ground. A ripple came out from the spot, and water seeped out as if the Earth itself was bleeding. The water followed the rippled and covered a circular area, twenty feet in diameter. She stepped onto the water, not sinking through. Black walls shot up around the circumference of the circle, and she spun around. Putting a hand on the wall, she was pleased to find that even she couldn't get out. The whole episode took a total of three seconds. The ground disappeared, turning into a deep pool of water, a white light shining through the bottom, lighting up the void. She walked out to the center of the pool and lifted her hands up, the water following her movements she created stairs with the water, and walked up them to the top of the void, and touched the ceiling.

"Solid, still. I commend you, Mizutateru, on being able to hold up." she let the water fall back down, and landed softly on the surface, then dragged a finger through said water, then grabbed a handful, which quickly fell through her fingers to form a man. He had short, aqua hair, and icy blue eyes. His body was clothed only in blue basketball shorts. He stood up and grinned at Shinobu.

"Long time no see."

"Same here."

"I see you've been busy." he commented, looking at her glowing scars and shoulder.

"Oh, that. Yeah, doesn't help that recent injuries glow in here." she cracked her neck.

"So anyway, how is the world without me?"

"Dull."

"That was a short explanation."

"The hell is this?" Shinobu fell through the water at the outside voice ringing clear. She pulled herself out of the water.

"Damn it. Concentration lost. I can't stay here long. Mizutateru, I will see you later." she pulled her blade out of the water and the void vanished. She sheathed the sword and looked at the elders, assembled in front of her.

"Where are you going?"

"Out to lunch."

"And your business with Byakuya-san?"

"Will be discussed later."

"Whatever. That was my Shikai, by the by." she shunpoed off to the Research Unit, where Kurotsuchi was just pouring a green liquid into a bottle.

"Looks delish." she said, sarcasm dripping. He looked up.

"It's not supposed to look appetizing."

"It couldn't hurt. Is that the one from earlier?"

"Indeed. You wanted to try it, correct?" she nodded.

"We need to do physical tests first. I've set up a series of things." a dummy came up from the floor and she punched it in the chest, breaking through it. He nodded, and another popped up. She quickly kicked it, splitting it in half. Then the floor opened up to reveal magma below. She jumped upwards and grabbed onto a beam.

"Was that necessary?"

"Very. Is that the highest you can jump?"

"Yes." the floor closed and she dropped down.

"Shunpo to Squad One and back." she did so, coming back a minute later. He gave her the vial and she quickly took a few sips, then shook herself out. A new dummy popped up and it was punched through before she knew what she was doing. Again, she tore the second dummy in two, and jumped up before the floor opened, reach a new height, twenty feet higher than before. She dropped down, and shunpoed to and back.

"That whole process time was cut in half!" he cried.

"Yay? Whatever. Now that you have your data, I've gotta go. That was just to kill some time." she shunpoed to Squad Six, relishing in the fifteen seconds it took to get there. As expected, Yoruichi was making rounds.

"There's another one isn't there?" Yoruichi asked.

"I'm sure of it. I just can't find it." Shinobu said, frustrated. Yoruichi paused before she set her foot down.

"Give me a rock." Shinobu tossed the two pound rock at Yoruichi, who grabbed it, and tossed it where she almost had set her foot down. It fell through, and Shinobu envisioned someone tripping in the hole, then falling... falling...

"That's it!" she walked over to the hole and pressed around it with her foot, caving in the light covering above a body shaped hole.

"It would have caved in on top of whoever fell."

"Yeah." Shinobu paused.

"Oh my god, I completely forgot. We caught a guy. I wonder where they took him."

"Soifon's people?"

"Yeah."

"Where would you take someone?"

"Hm... To Byakuya, but that doesn't count, so how about General Yamamoto?" Yoruichi nodded and they flashed away to the meeting room, where they found Yamamoto doing paperwork, and a man chained to a post.

"You've come for him?"

"Of course." Yoruichi commented. Shinobu quickly snapped the metal chain, and Yoruichi gaped at her.

"What?"

"I wouldn't be able to do that."

"Well, go to Kurotsuchi. He gave me this awesome potion thing that increase my speed and stuff." she gripped the mans shoulders and led him out of the room.

"Where to, Yoruichi?"

"How about the woods?"

"I'll settled for that." she shunpoed away, dragging the man behind her. Yoruichi took him from Shinobu's grip.

"Don't hurt him."

"Sorry, sorry." she muttered. Shinobu grabbed the man's arms and held them around a tree. Yoruichi questioned him.

"We know who you're working with."

"Please! They forced me into it. I purposely hit her instead of Captain Kuchiki. They were threatening my family!" Yoruichi narrowed her eyes.

"You don't have any family, never have."

"Y-y-yes I do! I swear on my life."

"Alright. Shinobu."

"No. You do it." she resigned herself, not letting her sudden anger take over. She thought back as Yoruichi continued with the man.

"_Them? I could care less about them. They want to marry me off. Any who, you should probably get going. If Yoruichi-sama told me anything about the Elders, it's that they get really pissed if you're not on time." she looked up before he nodded, and saw the slightest bit of sadness and anger through his facade. _

"Oh my gosh..." she whispered to the tree, then started hitting it with her head.

"Shinobu, we're done. How about we take him to Squad Two's Prison? I'm sure Byakuya-bo doesn't want us imposing on him."

"I wouldn't ever do that." she let go of the man's arms, and Yoruichi grabbed him, and shunpoed away. Shinobu followed, slowly. When she arrived Yoruichi was finished and looked at her.

"Come to the Manor really fast." Shinobu followed her mother back.

"Let's take a walk, shall we?" Yoruichi led her to the gorge and along the edge. Shinobu replayed each time she slipped in her mind.

"So, what's bothering you?"

"Okay, you so brought me here because this is a weak spot."

"I know. Now what's bothering you?"

"I said something I shouldn't have, and I think I'm beginning to see the effects."

"What did you say?" Shinobu looked and felt around for Byakuya, then whispered in her mother's ear, "I told Byakuya that the elders wanted to marry me off. Then he went to go talk to them."

"You might've said something wrong." Yoruichi confessed.

"You think?" the patch of land they had stopped on was farther down than Shinobu had gone, and when the fox bounded out of the woods, she thought nothing of it. Yoruichi watched it, until she realized where it was heading, then got out of it's path. Shinobu, still looking down, looked up in time to see it run head first into her.

"Shit," she grabbed for a root, only finding one when she was halfway down the cliff.

"Shinobu?" Yoruichi called.

"I'm fine Mom." she called upwards.

"Why does this always happen to me? Is God trying to kill me by pushing me into this damn river?" she sighed and looked around for something to use to pull herself up more. Upon not finding it, she cursed under her breath.

"Can you go get a rope and toss it down?" minutes later, a rope fell down the side, inches from her face.

"Woah!" she grabbed it and put her foot on the root, the pulled herself up a bit. She hoisted herself up, again and again, grateful for the fact that she had to practice this, years ago. As she pulled herself up onto solid land, she stumbled forward, into the person in front of her. They caught her and she looked up, then turned red.

"Byakuya-san!" Yoruichi sighed.

"I didn't know what to do, so I went and got him." Shinobu turned even redder.

"I'm so so so so sorry to have pulled you away from work." _I'm acting like he never kissed me... I am such a ditz! _

"It's alright."

"Okay..." she straightened herself.

"Oh, and by the way, that makes four times."

"Three."

"Whatever!" she grinned, still pretty red.

"I say it's four, even if you fell in once."

"It's still three."

"Four."

"Three." she sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

"So stubborn."

"That would be you."

"Hardly." Yoruichi stood, grinning to herself.

"You're way more stubborn than me."

"You've got it reversed, again."

"Or you have it reversed, which is technically forwards." Byakuya tried to hide his smile.

"Or is it backwards? I'm so confused."

"It would be forwards. But you're more stubborn."

"Am not!"

"If I listed examples, we'd be here all day."

"Then listen _two._"

"When going to find Yoruichi-sama, and..." he paused. Shinobu took the chance to looked back the gorge, and the meek little tree beside the edge. She blinked, and remembered something.

"_The sun is setting." Yoruichi said, hand on Shinobu's head._

"_Well duh. It's like, nine at night." Yoruichi smiled, and Shinobu squinted past the meek tree, at a boy on the other side of the gorge._

"_Is that a Kuchiki? I didn't know they had a kid." she stood up and shunpoed over. He made eye contact with her, then started walking away._

"_Wait! Kuchiki-san!" Shinobu ran after him, feet slapping the solid ground._

"_What do you want, werecat?" he hissed, spinning around to face her._

"_Werecat? What do you mean?"_

"_You can transform into a cat, can't you?"_

"_Not that I know of."_

"_But you're the Werecat's kid!"_

"_Don't call my mom a werecat. She's a great person." Shinobu cried defensively._

"_Alright then. Ask her about Kuchiki Byakuya."_

"_That's you, right?" he nodded. She grinned, then flashed behind him, and took out the red ribbon holding his hair up._

"_Well, Kuchiki Byakuya, I've got your ribbon." he turned to catch her, but she was already away._

"_Give it back!"_

"_Nah. I'm good."_

"_Give it back and go back to your weird family! Your parents aren't even married!" she clutched the ribbon tighter in her hand, but her face remained the same, playful and teasing._

"_I thought a Kuchiki would be nicer. I'm not giving back your ribbon now." he lunged at her and she dodged to the side. He tried again, and knocked her over. She quickly rolled out from under him, and looked down at the red ribbon._

"_Goodbye, Kuchiki Byakuya. You'll get your ribbon back if you can beat me in a race, next time we meet." she shunpoed away._

"_Let's go. So, who's Kuchiki Byakuya?" she asked Yoruichi, starting back towards the Manor._

Shinobu snapped out of the memory.

"Wonder where that ribbon is?" she pondered out loud. Byakuya smiled.

"I've yet to beat either of you."

"You lost your chance. Woulda been easier a century ago. Heck, even be- nevermind." She stopped herself, knowing his good mood would end when she mentioned Kurotsuchi.

"So do you still want that ribbon?" she grinned.

"Well, I've met you again."

"I'd hardly say it was again. More like a first meeting."

"Falling off a cliff."

"Twice."

"Well, I'm going to go back to the Manor. You two stay as long as you want." Yoruichi disappeared.

"Wanna race?"

"To where?"

"Hm... good question." her hand found Mizutateru.

"How about your Manor?"

"How about yours?"

"Mine it is. If you win, I'll give you your ribbon. But if I win, it's mine." he nodded in agreement.

"Ready?"

"Set."

"Go!" they took off at lightning speed, Shinobu not bothering with going full speed, in case she won by too much. Upon ending at the Manor, she accidentally ran into him, bringing both Soul Reapers to the ground.

"Guess you beat me." she said, propping herself up with her elbows.

"You weren't going full speed."

"Neither were you." he stood up and offered a hand, which she took.

"How about a change of prize?"

"Oh?" he untied the ribbon holding her hair up.

"That's fair game." she held her hands up, and he closed his hand around the ribbon.

"Master Shinobu!" she turned at the sound of her name.

"I'd best be getting back to my office."

"Right." Byakuya shunpoed away and Shinobu faced the servant.

"The Elders wish to speak with you and Lady Yoruichi."

"Where is Yoruichi?"

"Already inside."

"Alright, I'm going." she headed into the house and into the meeting room, then took the blue pillow beside Yoruichi.

"Sorry, I'm a little dirty. I ran into something." she rubbed a bit of dirt off her face.

"Alright. I'm sure you remember our talk of husbands?" both Shinobu and Yoruichi's faces twisted at the word, but Shinobu's less than before.

"I'll take that as a yes. Since Lady Yoruichi has... declined the offer, we turned our focus to you, Mistress Shinobu."

"And your point in this meeting is...?"

"Lord Kuchiki stopped by, and somehow knew about this. He said we shouldn't push you, Mistress Shinobu. We want to know if you told him."

"I _did_ tell him, and I _know _why he said that."

"Is it because he has courted you?" she turned red.

"No!"

"Then perhaps he is in love with you, and thinks none else would be suitable?"

"I'm sure it's not that no one else is suitable." she said, careful to avoid denying the first, as that wasn't hers to deny.

"Perhaps he just knows that someone like Shinobu could never be happy in an arranged marriage. She'll have to fall in love herself." she stared at her mother.

"Yes, Lady Yoruichi. Any who, we have agreed to let the husband matter go unattended for a week."

"A week...?"

"This meeting is over." the Elders left and Shinobu's jaw dropped.

"A week? Who can fall in love in a week? Who the hell am I going to marry then? What i-"

"Shinobu, calm down. You've got more than enough time."

"More than enough?"

"Calm down! Go take a bath in the river, maybe the cold water will shock you back to your senses."

"Not in the river."

"Then I'll ask a maid or two to prepare you a bath."

"Alright." Shinobu slunk back to her room, only to find a red ribbon on her dresser. A faint smile flickered across her feature, then disappeared. She picked it up and replayed the memory.

"That Byakuya was so much more open." she whispered.

"Mistress, your bath is ready."

"So soon?"

"We've got water stored."

"Oh. Right." Shinobu grabbed a clean set of clothes and a towel and followed the maid to the bathroom. Quickly bathing and redressing, she tied her hair up with the red ribbon. _More than enough time..._ she fingered the ribbon.

"She doesn't... she did." she sighed and gathered her dirty clothes, then handed them off to a maid.

"Yoruichi, I'm going to exercise Mizutateru." Yoruichi nodded and she shunpoed away to the clearing from before. The hole from her sword was still present. She kicked some dirt over it and pulled her sword out, then slashed at a tree, cutting the thin thing in half. It fell forward and she caught it, then threw it the other way. Sensing a slight rise in Spiritual Pressure around her, she kept up fighting trees, but felt around for the source. _There. A person setting something up on the tree._ She could feel the person's panic as she turned and pretended to slice at the tree, when in reality, she shunpoed behind them and looked at what they'd done.

"Whew. Almost done." he whispered, then attached two wires.

"Maybe you should set it off. I wanna know what it does." the man jumped and hit the device on accident with his hand. It blew up, forcing her to stab Mizutateru into the ground to stay on her feet. When the debris had settled, she wiped some blood off her face where she'd been sliced by a piece of bark. There was now two clearings, and the man's head had been blown off by the bomb.

"Eh, let's find his head, shall we?" she muttered, then looked around. Upon finding his head and sword, she chose sword over head to bring home. She walked back to the clearing and pulled her sword out of the ground and sheathed it. She shunpoed back to the Manor.

"Yoruichi-sama, how late is it?"

"Dinner."

"Alright, I'll deal with this tomorrow." she dropped the sword in a vase with umbrellas in it.

"Who's is that?"

"Some dude who blew himself up. I'm hungry, what's for dinner?"

"Rice curry."

"Great. Food sounds nice, period." she muttered, then walked into the kitchen and sat down. Yoruichi joined her.

"I want you to know, I invited Nanami to dine with us."

"Nanami-chan?"

"Shinobu-chan!" Nanami called.

"Nanami!" Shinobu got up and tackled Nanami into a hug, and to the floor.

"You and Yoruichi are the only normalcy in my life! I've missed you so much!"

"I can't breathe..."

"Sorry! When do you have to be back?"

"Lord Kuchiki told me I could stay as long as I want, as long as I told you one thing."

"Oh?" Now Yoruichi was listening.

"He said, 'Tag.'" Shinobu grinned.

"Alright, let's eat. Oooooh! I've got a Q!"

"Huh?" Nanami sat down beside Shinobu.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" and so dinner went, Shinobu basically finding everything there is to know about Nanami.

"Nanami, I will see you soon." Shinobu said. Nanami nodded, and left.

"Ready to go investigate?"

"No. Shinobu, go to bed. I'll go."

"Ahhh."

"Now." sighing, Shinobu walked back to her room and quickly fell asleep.

The first thing Shinobu did when she woke up was check that she was actually in her room. The second thing was make sure she wasn't injured. Third, and lastly, she got up and opened her door, only to find Yoruichi outside her door.

"Uhm..."

"There is a man here. I don't know from what family, but he's a noble. Some time in the night, our elders put posters up, saying that someone from the Shihoin was accepting marriage requests."

"WHAT?"

"I recommend you get away, before he sees you."

"Where is he?"

"Right down the hall."

"The window in here is stuck. I've tried it before."

"Ah... alright. How about the roof?"

"What's taking so long, Yoruichi-sama? I want to see my bride to be."

"Ehh...!" she hissed, nervous and worried now. Suddenly, the whispers fell dead silent, and Yoruichi turned around.

"Byakuya-bo!"

"Don't call me that." he hissed. She glanced down, seeing that he had one of the posters in his hand. He held it up.

"Completely the elders. I was asleep." she held her hands up.

"Is Lord Kuchiki also here to see her? You should inform him that she has been taken." maddened now, Yoruichi had to stop the furious Shinobu from pummeling the poor, stupid, lower class noble.

"He doesn't know who you are."

"He's referring to me as his property!" she hissed.

"Yoruichi-sama? Shinobu-chan is my bride-to-be. Sorry Lord Kuchiki." Yoruichi wasn't quick enough to stop Shinobu this time.

"Sorry sir, but I do _not appreciate_ people referring to me as their _property_. I own myself. And this posters? Not put up by me. Not with my authorization. So," she looked at the cowering group of Elders, "_This never existed_." she took a deep breath and headed back to Yoruichi and Byakuya.

"I'm proud of you. You didn't attack him."

"This close." she put her fingers a millimeter apart.

"I'm sorry, Shinobu-chan, but the Elders decide that, not you." Yoruichi restrained Shinobu, and Byakuya approached the man, and talked quietly. Throughout the course of the lecture/speech, the man's face grew more, and more fearful. Byakuya rejoined the group.

"Right. I withdraw my offer."

"Am I cattle now?" she hissed. The man walked away quickly. Shinobu turned to the elders, and this time it was Byakuya's turn to restrain her. He wrapped one arm around her neck/shoulders, and pulled her back into him. Yoruichi faced the elders, now holding the poster.

"This? What is the meaning of this? Is this what you had planned on doing when you said you were going to leave the husband matter alone for a week? This is _hardly _leaving it alone. Who's idea was it?" Shinobu stopped struggling at the fury in her mother's voice.

"She doesn't want you married either." Byakuya muttered. All fingers in the group of Elders pointed to the eldest, and most revered Elder.

"Yoruichi-sama, the _child _needs to be married off."

"He's really making me sound like a cow. Is there a dowry too?"

"Child? Shinobu is as old as the _head _of the Kuchiki clan. She's not a child."

"_She _also has a voice." Shinobu muttered.

"Yoruichi is the current head. She holds more authority than you." Byakuya whispered. Shinobu took a deep breath and shut her eyes.

"You're right. I know."

"She is a _child _in the eyes of the Elders. She speaks with no manners. No one is her superior as far as she is concerned. She has respects none."

"She has the manners _I _taught her to have. She has superiors. They're called people _worthy _of her respect. They way you're treating her, I'd be surprised if she listened to you at all. You treat her like a piece of fine jewelry to be sold off." the Elder narrowed his eyes.

"She will be married to whomever we choose." Shinobu felt Byakuya's muscles tense, and could tell his anger was going to flare soon.

"I can just act obnoxiously, so no one will want to marry me." she said, loud enough for the elders to hear.

"And you call this manners?"

"I call it free will! Shinobu would never love someone she was forced to marry. She'd try her best to annoy the shit out of them. Trust me, I know this. I brought her up to be independent, not a slave to you." Byakuya's muscled grew even tenser.

"Dude, you're going to sprain something without actually moving at the rate you're going." she whispered. He relaxed a bit.

"Independent? This isn't independent! It's rebellious! If she is going to be the next head of the clan, she must act like a noble. Not like some child who has grown up spoiled." Shinobu turned her head to look at Byakuya.

"Are your Elders this evil?"

"No. They respect the head." the Elder picked up on their conversation.

"They _respect_ you? They're more afraid of you! And besides, I have no respect for Yoruichi because she deserves no such thing."

"Do not bring my family's business into this."

"You're an example of another great noble clan gone awry!" while the old man yelled, Yoruichi grew eerily calm.

"Yamasaki." he looked at her and the room grew dead quiet.

"You are hereby relieved of your duties as head elder, and elder, and banished from the Shihoin Property. If you are caught on our land, you will be dealt with severely."

"For what reasons am I banished?"

"Disrespecting the head of the clan in front of her, disrespecting her daughter, and disrespecting the head of the Kuchiki Clan, several times in each case. I give you an hour to gather your belongings and leave. If you're not ready by then, you will be thrown out, and your belongings burned." the man stared at her, gray eyes bulging out of his head.

"You cannot do this! I am the head elder!" Yoruichi didn't respond.

"If that is how you think, then I am gone like the wind. You will regret this, Shihoin Yoruichi." Yoruichi ignored him and turned on her heel, then stormed out of the house. Shinobu watched her go.

"Should we follow her?"

"No. Let her calm down. I'm going back to my Manor for a few minutes."

"Wait, why?"

"To talk to my staff."

"Can I come? I really don't wanna stick around with that crazy man." Byakuya nodded and shunpoed away. She followed.

"Lord Kuchiki!"

"Miss Shihoin!" maids cried as the two passed. Byakuya stopped in the main room, and maids and servants gathered, having sensed his hidden anger, and purpose. When he was sure everyone had assembled, he started, and Shinobu stood slightly behind him, not liking how people kept looking at her.

"Are there any who know Yamasaki from the Shihoin Clan's Elders?" many hands went up, and all of the Elders' hands went up.

"Sever all acquaintance with him. If you see him on our property, escort him off." a sense of authority flowed from the noble lord, and Shinobu took another step back. The groups dispersed to talk.

"Isn't that kind of harsh?"

"I don't want that disrespectful man influencing anyone here." Shinobu nodded in agreement. A man clad in black garb stopped and knelt in front of Byakuya, who looked slightly confused.

"Captain Kuchiki, I am sorry for interrupting, but Captain Commander wanted me to report to you that Captain Zaraki hasn't recovered. He's getting worse. Captain Kyoraku's poisoning has only worsened, and people are now targeting Captain Soifon and Ukitake." Byakuya nodded, and the man disappeared.

"I'll go take a look around the Divisions. I recommend you go find those posters."

"I almost forgot!" Shinobu cried, then shunpoed away, tearing poster by poster down. By the time she'd found them all, it was noon. She sighed and bent over to catch her breath.

"Who's stupid idea was it to put a hundred posters up?" she muttered, then straightened back up and looked around. Men were approaching her from all sides, staring at her like she was a treasure. She took a step back and bumped into someone. She looked, then jumped a couple yards away from the massing mob.

"Is that her? The Shihoin girl?"

"I think so. They wouldn't give a maid clothes of a Soul Reaper."

"Then let's go." two men dashed to her feet, and knelt down.

"Please marry us!"

"NO!" she shunpoed away a few more yards.

"That retarded idea is canceled." she shunpoed away back to the mansion and dropped the posters in a paperbin.

"Yoruichi?"

"Her room." she knocked on the door, then slid it open. Yoruichi sat, staring at a wall.

"MOM!" she cried. Yoruichi snapped out of it.

"WHAT?"

"It's time to do something!"

"Do what?"

"What have we been doing the past few days?"

"Oh that. Alright. Where to?"

"Well, Soifon probably has-"

"_What_ are you talking about?"

"Oh yeah. A dude came to the Kuchiki Mansion and gave a report. So like I was saying, Soifon probably has tons of guards, and Ukitake is doing well, so he probably has people surrounding him. I'm gonna stick with them going after Byakuya and Komamura."

"Komamura?"

"Yes, the doggy dude. Now let's go take a look around him. Byakuya can handle himself, I dare say." Yoruichi nodded and the two shot off to Squad Seven.

"Many of the attacks aren't actually working set up. They have to be done on the spot. Kyoraku and Zaraki were exceptions." Yoruichi explained.

"Captain Komamura! Ukitake has fallen ill again. They say this is his worst yet."

"Maybe they weren't planning on attacking him." Shinobu suggested. Yoruichi shrugged and they peered through the bushes at the dog captain.

"We should ask for permission."

"Yoruichi-sama." Shinobu and Yoruichi turned around to face a Stealth Force member.

"Captain Komamura has given you permission to search his house while we're away on some business."

"Alright. I suggest one walks ahead of him to check for traps." he nodded and left. The two women waited for him to leave, then lept over the fence.

"Where's his dog?"

"Goro? Should be crated."

"Good. Me and dogs have never been on friendly terms." Shinobu muttered. Yoruichi chuckled, remembering the incident. Shinobu slid open the door, and to her dismay, Goro launched at her, teeth snapping.

"Yoruichi, go inside!" she called, holding the large dog away from her face.

"But-"

"Just please go." Goro barked loudly, and Yoruichi dashed inside, shutting the door behind her. Shinobu threw the dog at a wall, and jumped to her feet.

"Feline!" Goro barked. Shinobu sighed.

"Ya know, I'm not completely feline."

"Get out of Master Komamura's room!"

"We're trying to save him! People are trying to kill the Captains, and we're making sure nothing can harm him in there." Goro launched at her, and she held her arms up.

"Get out, Feline." he howled.

"Not yet." he bit her arm and she cried out.

"Shinobu?"

"I'm fine! Just keep searching!" she lied, then threw the dog off again. Jumping up onto the wall, she placed her arms inside her legs, and looked down at Goro.

"Puny Feline! You're bleeding now. Every dog in these woods will smell you and come looking."

"There's no dogs in the woods."

"Yes there is." Scared, she looked behind her, only confirming the dreaded. A pack of dogs was at the base of the wall, barking up at her.

"Goro, this really isn't necessary. We're trying to help Komamura."

"Lies! You are trying to kill him!" she stood up.

"Hardly. What do want me to do to prove I'm not? Do you want my Zanpakuto?" wincing at the pain in her arm, she grabbed it, sheath and all, and threw it down. Goro caught it.

"Any hidden weapons?"

"None."

"Goro! Can we eat her now?" a dog from below howled.

"Just keep her up there." she sighed, and sat back down. The group of dogs yipped, barked, drooled, howled and anything else dogs do when they're excited. A bird flew over head, and she reached out with her hand to grab it. It butted her hand, throwing her balance off, and she fell backwards.

"Mother fucking bird!" she cried. The dogs took a step back from her when she hit the ground. Before they had a chance to jump at her, she called, "Bakudo Thirty Nine, Enkosen!" the yellow shield formed, and the dogs jumped at it, only hitting a wall though. She lay on the ground, stunned for a minute. After recovering, Shinobu sat up and looked at the dogs.

"A bleeding, wounded werecat! Tasty!" the dogs were howling. She sighed.

"Shinobu, I'm done!"

"DON'T COME OUTSIDE!" she screamed.

"Why?"

"Goro!" a dog jumped at the field and it cracked. Shinobu looked around, then stood up.

"Sprained ankle?" she pondered as pain shot up her leg. She dropped back down into a sitting position.

"Hado Four, Byakurai." her field shattered, and the dogs fled. She removed her hands from her face, and squinted to see who'd fired the Kido.

"You almost hit me!" she cried, upon finding out who had done it.

"Those dogs were loud."

"You almost hit me!" she cried again, standing up and leaning against the wall to keep pressure off her ankle. Renji shrugged.

"I cannot believe you. What if you'd hit me?"

"Captain told me to come find out who was making the noise, and to stop it. Even if it meant I'd hit you."

"Dude! You're the man who sucks at Kido! You blew yourself up when you were fighting an Espada! Are you stupid? If that had blown up here, we'd all be crispy critters!"

"Shinobu, why are you yelling?" Yoruichi called.

"Renji is an idiot!" she called, then jumped up onto the wall, and down. Goro just watched her walk.

"Let's go. Before that maniac shoots me."

"We're going to Squad Four."

"No! They've seen enough of me. Let's just get some bandages."

"Wait, you're hurt?" she jumped back up onto the wall, followed by Yoruichi.

"Bitten by Goro, and a sprained ankle from falling off this wall."

"Glad I didn't hit you then."

"Oh?"

"Do you not realize how important you are to General Yamamoto? If you or Yoruichi get too hurt, you can't go out scoping places. You've caught almost all of the attacks, and kept them from happening."

"Never thought of it that way. Guess I'd better hurry up and get better." Yoruichi walked over with a roll of bandages.

"Where...?"

"Komamura had it laying around. He won't miss some." Yoruichi wrapped both Shinobu's forearm and ankle, then returned the wrap.

"Renji, you can go. Your job is done. Whatever you do, don't tell Byakuya that you almost shot me though. In fact, don't tell anyone." he nodded and shunpoed away. She cracked her neck and faced Yoruichi.

"OH my god! Oh my god!" she cried.

"What? What? Calm down, Shinobu."

"No! What if they're after Lieutenants too? I mean, look at Squads Three, Five, and Nine! They don't need a Captain! SO they'd have to get rid of Lieutenants too! Oh my god why didn't I think of this before?"

"Let's go tell General Yamamoto. You need to calm down, okay?"

"Oh my god, I'm such an idiot!"

"Okay, you know what? Go back to the Manor or something, but don't come. You're not going to calm down." Shinobu, still freaking out, shunpoed away to the gorge and ran down to the beach. She pulled her shoes off and put her feet in the river.

"Calm down. How was I supposed to think of that. I'm one Soul in millions. One person can't think of everything. GAH! How could I have missed that?"

"Because you're still just a _child._" she turned around and glared at the elderly man behind her.

"I swear, if you don't get off our property, I will throw you in the river."

"Then I'll simply cross onto the Kuchiki side."

"You're banned from that side too. I was with Byakuya when he told everyone."

"Hm. Split a man from his friends. And such has become the state of the Two Greatest Noble Clans. Pitted against one old man."

"Sorry, but from what I've heard, Shihoin and Kuchiki have always been close. We're only closer now than ever. Now seriously, I'm going to ask one more time, leave, or I'll throw you into the river, and never look back." Yamasaki narrowed his eyes.

"Then you'll have to throw me in."

"I'm comepletely happy with that. Where will you wash up, I wonder? And how, dead or alive? Damaged or fine?" Yamasaki's face hardened.

"Look here, Child. You will _never _become the head of the Shihoin Clan. Even if you made the head of the Kuchiki Clan fall in love with you, you will always amount to nothing! You will never be the person everyone expects. You are a disgrace to the family name. You may have never realized it, but your mother and father _never _followed the rules. And as they're your parents, you are just bred to be horrible. You will never, _ever _amount to anything. You will be thrown in jail as you age, and with you take the family name." Shinobu held a hand up.

"Yamasaki, you forget one thing. No matter how long you've been and elder. No matter how respected you are. No matter what you deem appropriate behaviour. You do not carry the family name. Your expectations and words of wisdom and the power the carried died along with your reputation. And, despite the minute truth in your words, that will not gain you back your post. I will ask you one final time, as I'm feeling a little out of it right now. Leave the property, or I will throw you in the river, and your precious words with you." Yamasaki seemed to realize the weight of her words, but stood firm.

"You're asking for it." she shunpoed behind him, grabbed him around the waist, shunpoed to the edge, and threw him in, ten feet away from shore. He was swept away quickly.

"I make a threat. I mean it." she muttered. Turning around, she noticed a slip of paper in the sand. She grabbed it, finding out it was in fact, a rolled up piece of parchment. She unrolled it and gasped.

"A marriage agreement?" she skimmed until she found a name.

"YORUICHI!"

"We'll burn this paper, and inform him that the agreement has been annulled."

"He signed this paper for the wedding to be in a week." Shinobu sighed and tapped her foot. Yoruichi was talking with a man of the law, who knew every loophole, and every single law, inside and out.

"Is that a problem?"

"It may cause some problems..."

"Like what?"

"We can get it annulled, but if he's bought anything he can ask you to pay for it for not notifying him within decent time. Or, he can demand something of yours." Shinobu looked up from the floor.

"Can he demand me?" she inquired. The M.O.L. looked at her and nodded.

"You are under Yoruichi's custody. Technically, you are her property, and he can make a demand for you."

"And if he does that, I could become his little sex toy or something." she hissed. Yoruichi sighed.

"How do I emancipate her?"

"It'll take too long. Transferring her takes much less time."

"Who the hell do I transfer her to? Her father isn't even here. Is there a way to speed up emancipation?"

"There is one way, but it's very risky."

"Risky, as in..." Shinobu started.

"As in, there's only a ten percent chance that it'll work."

"Let's try that before we annul this." he nodded and left, Yoruichi following. Of course, Shinobu stayed behind.

"I'm her property, and I don't have authorization to things about my self. This day is going perfectly. Bitten by a dog, almost shot by an idiot, threatened by an old geezer, then finding out I'm engaged. Could it get any better?" she tapped her foot on the porch steps, then got up, restless. She shunpoed down the beach and started skipping stones.

"Renji is such an idiot. He can hardly control his Kido, so he tries to blow my shield up with it, risking both our lives."

"I knew he had no brains." she turned around.

"Urahara!" she ran into him and hugged him.

"I can't believe you're here! I thought you were exiled too!"

"I got special permission. The Shihoin Clan wants me and Yoruichi to get married formally." she laughed.

"That's really pathetic."

"I know. So how's it been here."

"OH MY GOSH. We need to go see Yoruichi. NOW." she shunpoed away, and a confused Urahara followed her. She burst into the office.

"Is Yoruichi Shihoin here?"

"In the back." she ran back and Urahara followed, more slowly.

"YORUICHI." her mother looked up.

"What's going on in here?" Urahara stuck his head inside.

"Urahara!"

"The one and only!"

"This solves everything!"

"Can someone explain to me?"

"Okay, look. The Elders want me to get married and stuff, so they put up these posters, and apparently the head Elder took the liberty to agree to one proposal before he got fired. So now, even if we annul it, it's on such short notice that Omeada can sue us for however much he spent, or demand something in return. As long as I'm under Yoruichi's custody, I'm her property, and Shihoin property. If we annul this before you two get married, and we switch me to your custody, I'm your property, not Shihoin property, so he can't demand me." Urahara blinked, and snatched the pen out of Yoruichi's hand.

"Stop and think about this. If she's under my custody, can she still be an heir? Can she still be the Head of the Clan?" Yoruichi paused.

"She's still my child, regardless of who's custody she's under. If we get married after this annulment, then she's even living with me." the M.O.L. nodded. Shinobu grinned.

"I don't have to get married to Omeada! Yes! Happy day, oh happy day!"

"Despite getting bitten by a dog, almost shot by Renji, threatened by an old man, then finding out you're engaged?"

"Despite that. My engagement never existed after this annulment. Which is one less thing off that list."


	5. Chapter 5

"You are still a little kid inside." Urahara chuckled.

"Don't be hatin'! Am I not allowed this little happiness? I've been fighting this retarded husband thing forever."

"Eh, Shihoin-dono." She looked up, the obviousness that he was addressing her penetrating her skull.

"I must warn you though, with all this talk about husbands, that if you do decide to get married, you're going to have to drop the family name."

"As in there will be no heir?"

"Correct. Under normal circumstances, I would advise that Yoruichi-sama appoint you, regardless, but that would be merging the two families, and would disrespect the Shihoin name."

"Of course... So if I ever decide to get married, we're going to need a new heir."

"We've got a solution to that..." Yoruichi mumbled.

"What?"

"I said, we've got a solution to that." everyone in the room looked at her.

"How...?"

"I'm pregnant."

"WHAT?" Shinobu and Urahara's voices reached the same level and pitch, so that almost everyone throughout Seireitei could hear something odd. Of course, the fact that they were closest to a couple of Squads' Barracks meant that those couple would have heard.

"Could you have told anyone sooner so all of this shit wouldn't have happened?"

"When did you get pregnant?"

"Ah... uh... I couldn't tell anyone, because I just found out today, and Urahara, you know when."

"When...? Oh god never mind, don't tell me!" the MOL smiled.

"This group of people has been living in the World of the Living for quite some time, correct?"

"Yeah. I don't remember much about my first pregnancy."

"Then I feel the need to inform you that the gestation period is only two months."

"Is that even possible?" Shinobu cried.

"Quite. The opossum's gestation period is twelve to thirteen days."

"They really don't have time to throw a baby shower then. Hey, wait. Why is it shorter here?"

"The human world doesn't have the same atmosphere and such. We age slower, and mature in the uterus much faster."

"Alright, whatever. I don't need a health lesson. You guys figure out this damn shit. I'm going to tell Nanami." she looked to Yoruichi for consent, then shunpoed away to the Kuchiki Manor. She knocked.

"Who is it?"

"Food delivery." the door slid open and Nanami dropped her bucket of water.

"You scared me, Shinobu! Don't do that!"

"I didn't think you'd believe me. But guess what!" she knelt down and helped the poor girl clean up water.

"What?"

"Okay, longish story shortisher, the head elder got me engaged before he got fired. So we're getting that annulled. Then we came up with this whole problem of Omeada could ask for me in payment, so now I'm being transferred to my father's custody. Then, the MOL brought up that if I ever get married, that there would be no heir to the Shihoin Clan. Then, Yoruichi scared us all. Guess what she said." Nanami paused and looked up.

"That the Shihoin Clan isn't real?"

"No! She's _pregnant._" Nanami dropped her wet rag.

"For real?"

"Yes!"

"That's amazing! For how long?"

"A week, probably. Whenever I arrived. Not sure how long ago that was."

"About a week."

"Right. Which means that there is only five weeks left."

"Shinobu, I think you have the right to know something."

"What?"

"Your house is about to become very busy. I read some of the Kuchiki Clan history, and from what I can tell, every time a woman in either family got pregnant, they threw the biggest baby shower. It lasted for a full week, usually."

"A full week?"

"And they try and plan it around the third week of pregnancy."

"This is too much to take in." she leaned back against the wall.

"Do you know how weird it will be to have a sibling who is one hundred twenty five years younger than you?"

"I do. I have a sibling that much older than me."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Then how about this. Nanami..."

"Narita."

"Nanami Narita, I now pronounce you to be my sister." Nanami grinned.

"It's an honour."

"It's a mutual feeling, I'd think."

"Nanami!"

"Sorry! Sorry! Getting back to work!" Nanami whispered under her breath, "You'd better leave if you don't want to work."

"I'll stay and help for a bit. Then I've gotta go." she helped mop up the rest of the water, then helped Nanami scrub the floors in the main Hall and followed her to the next room.

"We can't touch anything in here. Okay?"

"Where is here?"

"Lord Kuchiki's room."

"I get to see it? Awesome!"

"Just please, don't touch _anything._"

"I swear on our sisterhood." Nanami giggled, then knocked, and slid the door open, to find the room empty.

"Good. Explaining you wouldn't be fun."

"Uh!" Shinobu grinned, then knelt down.

"Scrub everything hardwood."

"Got it." she started out, and looked around as she cleaned the floor. Everything in the room was a dark navy blue. Curtains, sheets, shelves, rugs, books. You name it, it was dark blue. The only thing in the room that wasn't dark blue, was a black ribbon on his dresser.

"That's my ribbon!" she cried. Nanami joined her.

"That is! Why does he have it?" Shinobu pulled her hair down.

"Because I've got his." she waggled it, and Nanami grinned.

"Evil."

"Well, you're related to me, so you must be too." they finished up, and Shinobu tied her hair back up, then froze.

"Nanami, do not move, at all." Nanami, standing by the foot of the lord's bed, froze in place, as a Sakishima-Habu, poisonous snake, slithered out from under the sheets.

"You've got to be kidding." she muttered. It turned towards her and raised it's head.

"Nanami, walk quickly and lightly. Leave the room. NOW." Nanami did as told, and only then did Shinobu realize she'd left her Zanpakuto at Komamura's house.

"Damn it!" she looked around for anything, but nothing was in reach. She bit back a sigh.

"Lord Kuchiki, you cannot go in your room yet!" Nanami cried. _Don't come in. I can't call out to stop you! The snake will hear me! _She took a step back towards a window, and it tensed. The door slid open, despite Nanami's cries.

"Byakuya, just back up and leave." she called. The snake slithered towards her rapidly and she jumped back to the window, opened it, and crouched on the sill. The snake paused, then shot out the window. She jumped out and to the left, narrowly dodged said snake, which dropped to the ground. She was about to drop to the ground, but Byakuya grabbed her wrists and hauled her back inside and shut the window.

"What was that?"

"A snake." she grinned. He didn't dignify that with a response.

"Okay, you know how I said someone could put a snake in your bedding? That, would be an example of my brains."

"How did..." she looked at Nanami, who shut the door.

"I think someone in the group might be working here. That's the only way anyone would be able to attack you here." he grimaced. _I know the thought that one of my maids or servants wanted me dead isn't pleasant, but please don't be harsh. _She prayed silently.

"What do you want to do about it?"

"I don't know." she sighed.

"Why were you in here?"

"I stopped by to tell Nanami that Yoruichi was pregnant, then ended up helping her with her chores." he chuckled.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"At your willingness to do anything."

"That counts as laughing at me."

"Yoruichi's pregnant?" he changed the subject. Shinobu, having the attention span of a goldfish, grinned.

"Yeah. Gonna be weird. Oh wait. Nanami told me that our families hold massive baby showers." He nodded.

"Do we really need to tell them? I'd prefer to be able to walk around my house."

"They'll find out."

"Should have known." she sighed, but was careful not to set her hand down on anything as she usually would.

"Well, uhm..."

"They're targeting you." she looked up from the rug she was standing on.

"What?"

"They're targeting you. You were meant to stop all of the attempts on our lives, which would result in your death. After that, the whole thing would come crumbling down. They're focusing on you." stunned, Shinobu almost forgot that she wasn't supposed to touch anything. _I'm like daughter of President in the United States. No one pays attention to her really, but when she's dead, Obama breaks down, and so does the government. _Byakuya gripped her shoulders.

"You need to stop trying to protect others and protect yourself."

"Harder than it sounds." he pulled her into an embrace.

"Try." she nodded and closed her eyes.

"They'll target you too. Easiest way to get to me."

"I can take care of myself."

"Yeah. You call falling off a cliff taking care of yourself?" she grinned and pulled away. He faintly smiled, and her grin grew.

"_Anyway_, gotta go back to Komamura's house. I'm afraid his dog has my Zanpakuto, and might not give it back. Dogs and me, just don't go well together." she slipped past him and opened the door.

"What were you two discussing?"

"Eh, nothing much. Some secret stufferz. Need to know basis. Sorry, you'll figure out when the rest of Soul Society does." Nanami nodded. Shinobu grinned, and shunpoed away. She sat, perched on the wall surrounding Komamura's house. Goro was asleep on her Zanpakuto, and Komamura had his back to her, chewing on something and reading.

"Captain Komamura!" she hissed. He dropped his bone and turned around.

"Goro has my Zanpakuto. Can I have it?" she could feel the uneasiness as he approached his dog and started pulling the sword out. Goro shot to his feet and grabbed the sheath with his teeth.

"Koi(Come)." she whispered. The sword slipped out of the sheath and she grabbed the hilt. Goro looked at her and barked, "Feline!"

"Goro, I really don't have time to fight with your over the fact that I'm actually mostly human."

"You can understand him?"

"Yeah. Seriously, Goro, can I please have my sheath? Don't have a command for that." He pulled the sheath out of Komamura's grip and laid down on it.

"No, Feline."

"Goro, I need that. If I don't sheath my sword and I'm not fighting, it tends to... grow a little bit." Komamura watched as the sword pulsed in her hand, and the blade expanded, gaining a slight saw teeth edge. It pulsed again.

"Goro!" Komamura called. The dog got up and the Captain snatched the sheathe, then threw it to Shinobu, who sheathed her sword quickly.

"Why does it do that?"

"The sheathe compresses Spiritual Pressure. Without it, my sword would, like, you know, be as tall as a skyscraper or something." she grinned and Goro jumped at her.

"Give it!"

"Nah, I'm good." he jumped up at her again, and her foot slipped sending her sprawling to the ground on the other side. Quickly surrounded by dogs, she sat up.

"FELINE!" she jumped to her feet.

"DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!" she started running, dogs hot on her trail, then skidded to a halt before she hit another trip wire. The dogs did the same. She dropped her sword on it and the arrows flew, then she grabbed her sword again. The dogs slowly backed away, then ran, as a shadow stepped out of the woods. She slipped the sword and sheath back into her obi.

"You cannot fight me barehanded."

"Sasake?" she took a step back and he stepped into the sunlight.

"Yes, you know how I joined that group so I could tell you all about it? Well, I only did that so you'd put up a good fight." he drew his sword.

"Saiminjutsu o Kakemasu, Kagami." nothing happened.

"You're just as helpless to my attack as others. Actually, my attack is a lot like someone else's."

"What attack?" she swung her sword as he passed her, missing, slicing open his side.

"Tisk tisk. That didn't hurt a bit. Maybe you should try harder? Or is that the best you can do?"

"Ripples Spread Across Still Water, Mizutateru." she punctured the ground and the ground rippled, then the walls shot up and the ceiling closed off. Sasake smiled.

"Nice Shikai." was all he said. She pulled the water up and flung it at him, sharp as daggers. He dodged.

"Going to take the offens-" she looked back down at the water, a reflection of the real world shining back, and Byakuya. She spun in a circle.

"Your Shikai is like Aizen's. Complete hypnosis."

"What are you talking about?" the Sasake walked towards her, blade drawn now. She just watched the reflection on the water, then quickly dodged to the side as he struck out at her. She plunged through the water's surface, along with the Sasake, which shattered the hypnosis.

"Complete? I think not." she pulled her sword out of the water and the scene disappeared, then turned towards the real Sasake and held her sword level to his eyes.

"Get down out of that tree, bastard." Byakuya swiped at her again and she jumped away.

"The hell?"

"He can't hear you. It's going to take more than that to wake him up. Just another instrument. He does, however, know that I'm a traitor, so hopefully you'll kill eachother."

"You're sick, you know that? You're messed up in the head."

"Anyway, why don't you use your Bankai? I want to see that before you die. I think it'll be neat."

"Ha ha ha. NO." she dodged again. _What is that Noble seeing?_

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

"No way." the pink petals floated towards her, and she jumped away, tiny blades following rapidly. She took a step back, only to find a tree there. Shinobu closed her eyes as the blades attacked her, feeling each tiny slice on her skin. Dropping onto one knee after the attack, she looked at him.

"I cannot believe you, Byakuya Kuchiki, fell to this meager attempt at hypnosis. I cannot believe that. You are not the person I thought you were."

"More of person than you'll ever be, traitor." he sliced open her shoulder, and all she did was wince.

"You heard that, but it was changed, right? So actions can be changed? I think not." she pulled his sword out from her stomach where he'd embedded it, then stood up and pushed him to the ground. Falling back, he looked at her wide eyed.

"Whatever you're seeing right now, I hope that you can see through it." ignoring her screaming skin, she sat down on his chest and put Mizutateru under his jaw.

"Shinobu is the traitor." she hissed. The man's eyes moved towards Sasake in the trees. Taking advantage of the distraction, she leaned down and pressed her lips on his. Senbonzakura found it's way through her gut again, but quickly withdrew.

"What's my name?"

"Why are you sitting on me? Where's Sasake?" she pointed to the trees before falling off.

"And I'd hoped you'd kill eachother. At least she's going to die." Sasake disappeared and Byakuya sat up.

"Confused?" she coughed and gripped her shoulder.

"We-"

"No. I'll be fine on my own. Sasake seriously underestimates me. Though getting stabbed twice isn't going to help at all." she sat up, realizing that she was bleeding from almost every place possible.

"Hm. Gonna be lots of scabs."

"We need to get you healed. Normal healing will take too long." his sentence had a feeling of not being finished.

"You want to know if I have an aversion to Squad Four? Yes, I do." she wiped the blood from her mouth and looked up.

"Guess we gotta catch Sasake now, right?"

"Hm." she laid back in the grass and closed her eyes.

Shinobu sat up, the bandages around her body wrinkling with the motion. She rolled her shoulder blades, feeling the material move, then looked around. _Where am I?_ The room was pitch black, and there were no lights. She put a hand in front of her face, and faintly could see the shadow cross her eyes. _There's some light._ She cracked her neck and swung her legs off whatever she was on, then stood up and stumbled towards the wall and found the light switch. She flicked it on. The room was pure white, and she'd been on a hospital bed.

"At least I'm wearing my clothes." she muttered, then laid back down on the bed and closed her eyes, relishing in the silence. The door creaked open.

"The lights are on? I guess she must've waken up sometime."

"Thanks for breaking the silence, Yoruichi." she opened one eye and looked at her mother, who smiled.

"Okay, you look like I've come back from the dead."

"Shinobu, you got stabbed twice and attacked with Byakuya's Shikai, not to mention being sliced as well."

"Your point is...?" Yoruichi sighed and hugged Shinobu.

"You've been out for three days. Sasake is still missing. Komamura, Zaraki, Kyoraku, Ukitake, Shuhei, Iba, and Omeada are in the Infirmary."

"Damn." Shinobu sat up and looked at her mother.

"Three days?"

"Byakuya is really beating himself up." Shinobu pursed her lips.

"Let's start with the _easy _stuff. Then that's at the bottom of the list, cause that'll be hard to handle. Easy stuff... Which Captains and Lieutenants are left?"

"Yamamoto, Soifon, Kira, Unohana, Isane, Hinamori, Byakuya, Renji, Nanao, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Yachiru is out, Kurotsuchi, and Nemu."

"That's a lot of people."

"Yes. Oh, Sasakibe is out too. That was pure accident though. He tripped." Shinobu laughed, then winced.

"Ow. Okay, let's start with Nanao and Hinamori. They'll be less careful than the rest."

"Shadow them?"

"Exactly." Shinobu slipped off the bed and put her shoes on.

"Miya," she looked up.

"That list of yours is only two items long."

"I know." She cracked her neck and followed Yoruichi out of the room.

"Shinobu, I want you to listen to me, alright?"

"What? Oh, yeah, 'kay."

"Your body isn't going to be up to extreme speeds of shunpo today. Just keep it easy."

"I'm not twelve, Mom." she grinned, then shunpoed away to Squad Eight Barracks, and quickly found Nanao. She looked completely distressed.

"How could he have been so stupid? I can't believe him. This is what he gets for drinking all the time!" she followed the walking, shouting girl around the barracks, listening to her snapping and scolding people in the division.

"Ya know, Lieutenant, Captain Kyoraku will be fine. It wouldn't be the first time he had alcohol poisoning."

"Don't tell me what to think!" she snapped and Shinobu almost jumped back. _Wish I'd been stalking Hinamori. _The furious Lieutenant stormed away and Shinobu quickly followed. Nanao stormed into her room and grabbed a black book from under her pillow. Shinobu peered through the window and read the previous page. _'I might love Captain, but he can be such a pain! I cannot believe that he got alcohol poisoning again. Maybe I should replace all his sake with alcohol flavoured water.'_ Shinobu moved her gaze to the current writing. _'I think my facade is going well. Everybody thinks that Captain being in the Infirmary hasn't affected me at all. Perhaps I should go into acting?'_ she grinned. Nanao stuffed it under her pillow, fixed her glasses, then shunpoed away. Shinobu followed quickly, stopping on the roof of the infirmary.

"I can't follow her inside. I need to know where she's going." she felt for the Lieutenant's Spiritual Pressure, then ran along windowsills, then stopped and hung by her feet form the one above and watched what unfolded before her. Nanao leaned over Kyoraku.

"How is he?"

"He should wake up soon. Would you like to stay, Lieutenant-"

"Yes."

"Alright. Visiting hours are over at eight p.m, so twelve hours." Shinobu held in a laugh. _I've only got twelve hours!_ The nurse left and Nanao looked at her Captain.

"WHY? I'm going to throw all of your sake out!" Kyoraku smiled.

"Afraid someone already did that."

"Yeah, me." she kept watching as Kyoraku sat up and winced in pain.

"Glad to see you're worried, Nanao-chan."

"WORRIED? I'm not WORRIED! I'm thinking about our DIVISION, unlike YOU!"

"Keep your voice down. They'll figure out I'm awake if you don't." he put a finger under her chin and kissed her. The woman seemed surprised, and Shinobu pulled up so she was looking in the window above.

"Don't need to watch that." she peered in the window.

"Ukitake." she breathed, then slid the window open and slipped inside and hovered over the Captain.

"You're sick again, huh?"

"You knew I was awake?"

"You and Kyoraku are so bad at faking." she leaned on the bed and Ukitake opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Shunsui is here?"

"Floor down, having a make out session." Ukitake smiled.

"Just like him. What brings you to my room?"

"Eh, wandering around."

"But I thought my room was off limits..." she pointed to the window.

"I was kinda taking a walk."

"On the fifth floor?"

"Yes." he coughed.

"Should I get a nurse?"

"I'll be fine. Who is Shunsui with?"

"No one. I better leave though, before I'm caught."

"See you."

"Get better, Ukitake-san." she jumped down to the window sill below. Nanao and Kyoraku were talking, neither looking her way. Kyoraku glanced towards her, then back, and she sighed.

"Spotted by a drunkard."

"I'd better leave, Captain." Nanao turned red, bowed, and left. Kyoraku turned to Shinobu.

"I do-"

"What brings you to my room, Shinobu-chan?"

"Keeping an eye on Nanao. Can I-"

"Why? I thought it was only Captains."

"Not anymore. Now I real-"

"Hm. So, you're always glued to Kuchiki-san's side. Why aren't you with him now?"

"I am not glued to him!"

"Yes your are,"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Anyway, why aren't you with him?"

"Because I'm a separate entity."

"Other than that."

"Because I don't need to be with him all the time. I've got responsibilities. So does he. Now really, I need to leave."

"Nanao will be fine for a few minutes." she turned to leave, but he appeared in front of her and she took a step back.

"Are you drunk, man? I need to leave. She's my responsibility right now."

"I'm not drunk. You poured out all my sake."

"You can buy more."

"I'm not drunk. Anyway-"

"Then are you trying to play match maker? I seriously could call a nurse to have you put down. You're lucky Ukitake didn't hear Nanao screaming at you." he smiled and she shook her head.

"Kyoraku, I don't have time for this. Goodbye." she used her speed to get past him and out the window, then ran away, faster than Yoruichi would have approved of. She caught up to Nanao and followed slowly, feeling her sprint shunpo starting to wear on her.

"She said not to go so fast." something wet hit her knee and she looked down, finding her arms dripping blood.

"Damn." she closed her eyes and fell from the tree. Nanao turned around.

"Shihoin-dono!" Shinobu didn't respond.

When Shinobu woke up, the first thing she _didn't _do was open her eyes, as she usually would. The second thing she didn't do was speak. And the third, well, that was just plain move other than breathing.

"It wasn't you fault this time. Or last time, for that matter. Just let it go." a grunt was the only response Yoruichi got. The noble woman sighed.

"When she wakes up, I'm going to have her beat the shit out of you until you snap out of this phase."

"That wouldn't be wise."

"Are any of her decisions, or mine, wise?"

"No."

"Great thing to say. Now, snap out of it. If she sees you like this, she's not going to be happy." _Don't they know I'm awake?_ She judged the surface under her, confirming it as a hospital bed. _Infirmary? I hate this place god damn it._

"Shihoin-sama, she won't be awake for some time. I recommend you come back later."

"Alright." Yoruichi flashed away.

"Captain Kuchiki?" Shinobu didn't need to see to know that he wasn't going to respond. _Yoruichi, you were beyond incorrect. _Seeing_ him like this? I don't need to see. He needs to stop blaming himself! _The nurse left.

"It's not your fault, moron." she opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling.

"It wasn't your fault either times."

"Ye-"

"First time, it was Sasake. Second time was mine. Oh, and Kyoraku- Don't!" she called when Byakuya started for the door, killing intent obvious. He paused, and she sat up.

"Don't. We don't need him more hurt." the lord relaxed and walked over to her bedside.

"Could you try not to hurt yourself?"

"Yes, and no. I can try, might not work though." she pursed her lips in thought, and Nanao knocked, then opened the door.

"Is Shihoin-dono awake?" Byakuya nodded and the lieutenant slipped into the room.

"Glad to see you're alright. Can I ask what happened?"

"Running, way too fast." was all she said.

"In a tree?"

"Eh, that was where I screwed up." she grinned and rubbed the back of her head.

"Anyway, I'm not supposed to be awake, so..."

"Alright. Captain Kuchiki, Shihoin-dono." Nanao slipped back out.

"Running?"

"From Kyoraku- DON'T!" she gripped his arm as he started away again. He looked back at her.

"Why were you running?" she bit her lip. _Gotta say it carefully..._

"He, uh, well, tried match making?" she tried. Sadly, her attempt backfired, as his anger only grew.

"Seriously, don't. Don't. Don't!" he pulled out of her grip and disappeared.

"SHIT!" she started getting up, but stopped.

"If I'm on the floor when he comes back, he get madder." she listened to shouting several rooms down the hall.

"Captain Kuchiki you can't go in there!"

"Oh lord almighty, someone puh-lease stop him."

"He's not awake! What do you intend to do?" a door slammed shut and Shinobu winced as a loud smacking sound rang down the hall.

"What was that for, Kuchiki-san?" the older captain whined, loudly. Shinobu sighed and laid back and shut her eyes as his quiet anger leaked out. Minutes later, a loud voice rang out, "Kuchiki-san, I'll have to ask you to leave the infirmary if you persist."

"Unohana!" she gasped, then slid off the bed and opened her door and ran down the hall towards the commotion.

"He'll stop!" she gasped, panting. The nurses all looked at her.

"Shihoin-dono! You shouldn't be up!" she gripped her knees, and continued panting. A nurse tried to force her back to her room. She gave the nurse a death glare, and the woman backed off. Byakuya moved to her side.

"As long as he doesn't strike Kyoraku again."

"I deserved it."

"There is no violence in the Infirmary." Unohana continued, ignoring Kyoraku's comment.

"If he does again, I'll kick him out." Unohana nodded, and Shinobu gripped the noble head's arm, then dragged him back to her room.

"That man is despicable."

"Byakuya, you're the head of the Kuchiki Clan. You can't go around attacking people."

"And you can?"

"I can because no one has any ideas that I'm always supposed to be respectable. And from what I heard, you lost your cool." he grunted, seeming to have realized his fault.

"Yeah. Just calm down. He's a crazy old guy. Nothing to get worked up over." she took a deep breath and leaned against the wall.

"Crazy? I don't think I'm that crazy." she turned around, coming face to face with the older captain. She could tell that Byakuya's seemingly never erupting anger was dangerously close to spilling over again. She started to pull away, but the obviously drunk again captain wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. She froze and her eyes widened.

"Now would be a good time to lose your cool, for instance." her arms locked into her sides as his face came closer to his, the smell of alcohol on his breath.

"Now what are you doing with him? You could be with me." she wrinkled her nose as the smell invaded her nose. Suddenly, his arms were jerked behind him. He took a step back and Shinobu dashed behind Byakuya.

"You actually think this low level kido will keep me away from my love?"

"He's totally wasted. NANAO!" she practically screamed, causing Byakuya to wince. The Lieutenant dashed into the room.

"Where'd he get the sake?"

"That might've been Rangiku. I'll deal with him." she dragged him out of the room.

"Wasted." she muttered.

"Are you alright?"

"Mentally scarred, but yes." his face twisted.

"Sorry. I didn't mean literally." she smiled meekly and he sighed.

"But anyway, thanks." he pulled her into him and his lips met hers. She shut her eyes briefly.

"If that's what you wanted, you could have asked." she said after pulling away, then grinned and leaned on him, hands on his chest. He rested his chin on her head and she sighed. Someone knocked on the door and she pulled away and sat on her bed, smile gone.

"Come in." Yoruichi opened the door.

"You don't look happy. Maybe I shouldn't tell you..."

"What?" curiosity peaked, Shinobu sat up straight.

"Well... the baby shower... is tonight..."

"We've got a problem, and you're having a baby shower."

"Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. So what, it lasts, like, three days, right?"

"Try a week," Byakuya threw in.

"A week? I thought Nanami was exaggerating!"

"Nope."

"Lord. Where am I staying then? There will be girly elders all over the place, like bugs!" both Yoruichi and Byakuya smirked at the comparison.

"They're more like leeches. They live off other, younger, women's happiness."

"Same thing. Seriously, though. Where am I staying?"

"It's all at our Manor. Why don't you stay with Byakuya-bo?" Shinobu and Byakuya looked at eachother, and she shrugged.

"Okay."

"Really? I thought you were going to put up a fight or something! Who are you and what have you done with my child?"

"She grew up and realized that you can't always get your way. Trust me, I learned that by falling off a cliff. Three times."

"Four." she looked at Byakuya.

"And now we've changed places." Yoruichi grinned.

"Are you going to need much?"

"Clothes. Just clothes. Okay, maybe a toothbrush." Yoruichi nodded, and prepared to flash away.

"Wait! When's the party?"

"Couples hours."

"Alright. I'm gonna-"

"No." she looked at Byakuya.

"Why?"

"Your injuries weren't healed the first time before you took off."

"That's the thing with Soul Reapers. We just keep going, no matter how hurt. You should now that. I mean, your older than me. Shouldn't you be smarter?"

"You're not going anywhere."

"I don't like you anymore." she slumped on the bed and looked at the ceiling again.

"I'll come bring your stuff by here."

"I doubt their going to let me leave, so I'll be here." Yoruichi nodded and left.

"Why do you want to work?"

"Most adults lose their ADHD when they become an adult. But not me. Mine got worse. I hate staying still."

"Maybe you should sleep."

"Or I'll just escape out the window." one looked at the lord's face put her plans to a halt.

"You aren't going to chain me to the bed, are you?"

"No. But you will stay here."

"Great."

"Your injury prone."

"Hm. That's my fault? I'm thinking maybe it's genetic, or maybe... no, it's geneticish."

"It's just you."

"Is that an insult? Because if it is, I can throw stuff back at you, ya know."

"Shihoin-dono. Captain Kuchiki." both looked up.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry to all those who are reading this story, I've had a writers block, and I'm on chapter ten of this story, so I've no idea why I forgot to update like, three times. I'll add another chapter today, so we can be somewhat caught up, I think. Again, sorry, and Sweet and Deadly, thanks! And yes, I love cliff hangers. :)**

"Sorry to interrupt, but Captain Unohana wanted me to check her injuries." something flickered across Byakuya's face, but he left the room.

"I'll need you to undress."

"Huh? W-w-w-w-w-wait!" the person tackled her to the floor and ripped off her clothes.

"Hey!" she lifted her head up and started to struggle, so the person pushed her head into the ground. She lay, stunned.

"Looks like you're almost healed." coming out of her stupor, she punched the person in the jaw, knocking them off her.

"What the hell was that? You could've asked!" she cried, then quickly redressed.

"You didn't need to punch me!"

"You were sitting on me!"

"You still didn't need to punch me!"

"You were sitting on me! Invasion of privacy! Besides, you could have asked!"

"I didn't need to!"

"You looking to get hit again, because you're sprinting that direction."

"Like you could hit me again."

"You wanna bet?" just before she was about to make her move, Byakuya burst in the room and grabbed her arms.

"Don't."

"Let me go. I'm gonna be the shit out of this little shit." the Nurse smirked.

"Just calm down. You getting angry won't do anything."

"Oh, does Cap-i-tan Kuchiki have a crush on the Shihoin?"

"Oh no..." she stopped struggling and ducked down.

"Byakurai." the beam missed the nurse by mere millimeters.

"Out."

"Yes Sir!" the lady dashed away, slamming the door behind her.

"You could have hit her."

"I have better aim then my Lieutenant."

"He didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?"

"Oh, he didn't."

"Tell me what?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Captain! Your Elders are looking for you at the division headquarters... Am I interrupting?" Renji stopped in the doorway.

"Run." she mouthed, but he didn't move.

"What happened between you two?" the Lieutenant froze in place.

"Eh... the loud noises... was a bunch of dogs... trying to attack her... and I almost shot her..." Byakuya grew silent.

"Run Lieutenant." Renji nodded and disappeared.

"Why didn't he tell me before?"

"I told him not to."

"Why?"

"Because you making sure I don't get hurt shouldn't be your priority. Keeping yourself safe should be."

"Keeping you safe is keeping me safe." she pursed her lips then.

"Alright. I'll agree with that. But that doesn't mean you have to go attacking anybody who pisses you off."

"And, I believe your elders and looking for you." he sighed.

"What do they want?"

"You'll find out."

"Okay, now you're treating me like a kid."

"You still are one."

"At heart, not mentally, nor physically. I could totally beat you to your division."

"Then pass out." she grunted.

"Just go. Elders get grouchy." she laid down on her bed and he disappeared. Yoruichi soon arrived.

"They came early. Here, and stop by if you need anything. Kisuke will be staying with me."

"When's the wedding? Is my thing annulled?"

"Your engagement is annulled, and you are in his custody."

"I'm going to tell Omeada."

"Take it easy, and come right back."

"Alright, I get the point." Yoruichi disappeared, and Shinobu noted the slight bump in her stomach.

"Already." she whispered, then shunpoed to Squad Two. Soifon greeted her.

"Shihoin-dono,"

"Hey, Soifon-dono. Where is Omeada? I've got some sad news for him, great news for me."

"In his room. Follow the smell."

"Thanks. You going to Yoruichi's Baby Shower?"

"YORUICHI-SAMA IS PREGNANT AGAIN?"

"Yes..." Soifon disappeared and Shinobu shook her head, then, as advised, followed the stench of Omeada, then knocked on his door. A voice rang out in a horribly off pitch sing songy voice, "Who is it?" and she replied, "Shinobu Shihoin. I have urgent news from the Shihoin Clan." The door was thrown open and Omeada tried to embrace her, but she ducked away, then quickly said, "The engagement has been annulled, and-" she stopped him from talking, "I am no longer under Yoruichi-sama's custody, nor the Shihoin Clan custody. Demand whatever else you please." the fat man pouted, and she shifted her weight onto her left foot.

"Your first child."

"Whenever that happens, he or she won't be under Shihoin Clan custody. Probably another clan's."

"Alright then. How about a twentieth of the fortune?"

"Agreed. I will inform my mother." she shunpoed away to her room, then sat down and took deep breaths.

"So... tired... again..." she gasped, her hair falling into her face.

"Shinobu Shihoin?"

"Room 451."

"Thank you." the person entered the room and shut the door.

"Shinobu."

"Get away from me before I throw you through a wall."

"Tisk tisk. It seems Kuchiki-sama has failed to kill you, so I'm here to finish the job. As he said, 'Keeping you safe is keeping me safe.' And, what happens if you just happen to die when he's not there to protect you?"

"He comes and kills you later. Now seriously, I'm going to throw you through a wall, then call Soifon to come get your carcass."

"Feisty. I guess I'll gave to get rid of you fast. Saiminjutsu o Kakemasu, Kagami." the man disappeared, and she squinted, then dodged his blade before his sliced her arm.

"Who needs sight?"

"Almost complete." the room was silenced, and he sliced open her arm. She gasped, then struck out with her foot.

"Shoo, fly!"

"Nah, I'm good."

"Ripples Spread Across Still Water, Mizutateru." she quickly pulled her blade out and stuck it in the floor, breaking tiles. The walls shot up and Sasake came into view.

"Your Shikai is easy to break." was her only comment before standing up. She lifted some water and froze it into a sword.

"Fighting in the Infirmary. How lovely." she could feel someone pounding their fists against the wall, in vain. Sighing, she launched at Sasake and swiped at him, missing by mere centimeters. He blocked her next attack, and threw her back. She stopped herself, then flew at him again, only to clash swords. This time both pushed, and both flew backwards. She hit the wall and slid to her feet, unlike him, who fell to his butt.

"You're not naturally this strong."

"Kurotsuchi." was all she said, then placed the ice sword under his throat.

"If you kill me, you'll be branded a murderer."

"Sadly, you're right. Bakudo Number Sixty Three; Sajo Sabaku." his gasped as his arms were jerked behind him, and she shattered her sword and pulled her real one out. The wall disappeared, and the person who'd been attacking the wall stumbled forward.

"Back up. Go get me Captain Komamura." the person shunpoed away as a crowd gathered outside.

"You're going to tell me everything you know, before I do cut you head off." she held the sword to his throat, and waited for the Captain.

"Komamura, your little member here is part of the group."

"We know that."

"And loyal to the group."

"What is your proof?"

"My _proof?_ You know that I've been in here that past few days, right?"

"Yes."

"Because I mysteriously got cut up."

"Yes."

"Well, Sasake's Shikai is like Aizen's. I was going to arrest him when I found out, but his used his Shikai, and made me think Byakuya-san was him, and vice versa. I broke the attack on myself, but not him. He continued to stab me three times and use his shikai on me, before I managed to break the Shikai's grip on him. Then Sasake made his escape." Komamura looked at Sasake,who was trying to plead his innocence.

"I believe Shihoin-dono." he resigned himself.

"Komamura! Please!"

"I've known that you had shown a great dislike for us Captains, but I didn't think you'd go this far."

"Would you like to know something else, Komamura?" Shinobu continued.

"Oh?"

"He came in here to try and finish me off before someone could come to my aid." the great dog captain narrowed his eyes as someone else flashed into the room.

"Are you alright?" Byakuya stood behind her, scaring the bejesus out of her.

"Yes!"

"Captain Kuchiki! Please! Tell Komamura that this woman is lying!"

"And lie myself?" Komamura's guards arrived and hauled the man off. Komamura took his leave, and Shinobu spun around.

"Go back to your Elders."

"I'm done with them."

"As in you're tired of them and hate them, or you discussed what you needed to." he looked at her and she smiled.

"You shouldn't be fighting."

"You really don't want to see me get hurt, do you? And how did you know it was me?"

"You might think your Spiritual Pressure is under key, but when you use your Shikai, it spikes."

"Oops." she sheathed Mizutateru, then paused.

"There's still something in my room I need to get. Oh my god it's going to be havoc in the Manor." she looked at Byakuya.

"Don't say anything. I know where you live. And work."

"And you live there too."

"Somewhat temporarily." giving her the most confused face she's ever seen, she just dropped it.

"Anyway, I, am going to go drop my clothes off, then go get that one thing." he nodded and she grabbed her clothes and shunpoed away, dropped her clothes off under the bed, then shunpoed to the Shihoin Manor. Noise spilled out of the Manor, and she sighed, then walked in a circle until she found her room, the thrust the window open. The people inside stopped and stared at her.

"What the hell are you doing to my room?"

"It's the baby's room now."

"MOM!" she pulled herself through the window, but Yoruichi didn't come.

"Know what? Fuck this. I'm getting my thing and leaving." on her dresser lay a pink ribbon this time.

"Urahara, I knew you'd leave a new ribbon." she took it and tied it around her wrist.

"I swear to god, Yoruichi better not have anymore kids." she jumped back out the window.

"Now-"

"Shinobu!" Nanami ran into her, knocking her to the ground.

"What? What's wrong Nanami?"

"The Oorudo Misu. She's planning to get rid of you. Word leaked that you'd be staying at the Manor, and I don't know what she's going to do, but she wants you gone. She thinks you're corrupting Lord Kuchiki."

"Corrupting?"

"That's what I said. But I'm afraid if you make rash decisions, she'll find a way to use it against you, then mention it when the Lord is around."

"So I've got to act like a noble?"

"Exactly."

"Not happening."

"GAH?"

"If I act differently, that'll change _everyone's _feelings towards me. And some of those I really don't want to change. I'd rather take my chance against that horrible old woman." She pushed Nanami off, then stood up.

"I'm sorry, but sometimes you have to put yourself at risk to be happy." she pulled Nanami to her feet.

"Then you'll excuse me. If you're going to act normally, I'm going to put myself in danger to keep you out of the hot spot."

"Nanami you can't do that. There is just some things you can't do. You'll get punished or something. I don't want you going through that." she started walking, and Nanami caught up.

"I'm going to do it no matter what."

"Then if you insist, I'll do the same. If you put yourself there, I'll kick your bum out onto the hearth and jump in." Nanami laughed.

"Then it's a contest to see who get's in trouble more?"

"Yes. But don't purposely get in trouble. Just when I get blamed."

"Hm... I can't promise."

"NANAMI!"

"Okay, okay."

Shinobu sat down on her bed, then laid back.

"Oh this feels too good."

"So you were complaining about your room?" Nanami sat next to her.

"Yes!" Shinobu sat up, "At the Shihoin Manor! The crazy Elders are making my room the baby's room. So I lose my room."

"That stinks."

"You're telling me." she sighed and laid back.

"I'm going to make Yoruichi get fixed or whatever."

"For real?"

"No! But she better not have another kid. Actually, that's a really bad mental image." closing her eyes, and shook the image from her mind.

"Well, okay. So what happens if you ever have a kid?"

"With who?"

"I don't know! But what are you going to do? Buy a house and raise it?"

"Are you suggesting that I'm going to be a housewife? If I ever get pregnant, I'm going to take a maternity leave until I am sure a nanny won't kill the kid." Nanami closed her eyes in thought.

"If I ever have a kid, I'm gonna become a housewife."

"Do you have anyone in mind?"

"Well, sort of. He works at your Mansion. His name is Takuma."

"I'll talk to him. So you like him huh? Anything in particular?"

"I don't know why. I just do."

"Hm. I know what you mean."

"You like someone?"

"Now that I cannot tell."

"Oh please?"

"Well, you know him. He's caring, a little overprotective, and has a short temper sometimes."

"You totally just described the opposite of Lord Kuchiki."

"Maybe it's his twin in disguise." she whispered. Nanami laughed.

"Maybe. I would like to meet that guy."

"I told you that you knew him!"

"You did? You did. Oh! You did!"

"Good job listening."

"I'll do better next time, Onee-sama." she smiled.

"That makes me feel a little old." Nanami laid down next to her.

"When do you have to go back to work?"

"Well, I think I've been banned from working for a little while. When I said a little overprotective, I meant quite a lot."

"He must not like seeing you get hurt. Seems like that happens a lot."

"Yeah, I guess I do get hurt, really badly, a lot." _Maybe I should worry about myself just a _little _bit more._ She thought bitterly.

"Yes, you do. So I heard you got into like, a trip wire or something and got cut by tons of little wires. Like, you were bleeding all over."

"Oh yeah. I'm not quite sure if that's correct, but it hurt like hell. Luckily, _that _person was there and helped me."

"Oh! This is so frustrating! Who is he?"

"You'll find out in due time."

"Oh, can't you just give me another hint?"

"Absolutely not! Figure it out yourself. The only other hint I can think of would completely give it away. So, you're S.O.L."

"S.O.L?"

"Sorry out of luck."

"OH!"

"Yeah. You're my smart sister." Shinobu grinned.

"Hey, what time is it?"

"Lunch, I think."

"Alright, I'm gonna go work. Catch ya later, Nanami."

"Bye, Onee-sama." Shinobu shunpoed out of the Manor and stopped by Squad Three.

"Do Lieutenant's know?" she muttered before locating the Lieutenant and jumping into a tree. Following him around, she found a few things. One, he led the most boring life in the freakin' world. Two, he goes to the same places all day. Three, at the end of the day, he goes drinking with Shuhei. After the Shuhei thing, she decided to depart from field work and retire to the Manor. She opened the front door and looked around.

"It's incredibly dark in here." she muttered, closing the door behind her.

"Onee-sama?"

"Nanami?" Nanami ran into her.

"Oh!"

"Be quiet please! Someone in the house got rid of all the candles and there have been several screams. We need to leave."

"I don't think so. Go ahead outside and get somewhere safe. I'm going to take a look around.

"Onee-sama, that's a really bad idea."

"Do you remember our talk from earlier?" she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Yes." Nanami did the same.

"You have to put yourself in danger sometimes to be happy. You, missing, equals unhappy. Now go." Nanami quickly left, and Shinobu turned into a cat, her sensitive eyes allowing her to see around. She quietly stalked forward towards a slight glow. She rounded the corner into her hallway and into her room, where someone was rooting through her things.

"Damn it. She's got to have some kind of potion in here. Where is it?" she smiled as a cat can, and rubbed against their leg, causing them to jump.

"Oh, it's just Kuchiki's damn cat." they kicked her away. She hit the wall. _Ouch! _She hissed and launched at them.

"Damn it!"

"Don't root through my damn belongings!" she hissed before scratching their face.

"That bitch is in here? Holy fucking mother of god!" he threw her off his face and out the door before running off. She stood up.

"Damn. Gotta find my clothes and change back." and she did exactly that, before making a ball of kido in her hand and walking around the house until she found a group of maids tied and bound.

"Uh..." they started shrieking and she furrowed her eyes brows before sensing that someone was behind her. They hit her on the head with a lamp and she fell to the floor.

"_So much for being trained by Mom." younger Shinobu muttered._

"_You'll get it eventually, Short stack." Urahara put a hand on her head and smiled._

"_I know. But every time I'm supposed to do a stealth mission, I always get caught. It's so frustrating! I couldn't even sneak up on that Kurosaki dude you guys all talk about! What's his name? Isshin? Yeah! Him and his freaking girlfriend. I couldn't sneak up on him, and he's stupid!"_

"_Don't be mean. Isshin is just mentally impaired."_

"_He's not mentally impaired. He just loves his girlfriend." Yoruichi called. Shinobu sighed._

"_Anyway, it's time for a race. The usual track. You up for it, Miya?"_

"_Completely. I will beat you this time." she prepared herself. Urahara sighed._

"_Ready. Set. Don't go!" she didn't move._

"_Dang it!"_

"_Get serious, Dad. No one would ever fall for that."_

"_Fine. GO!" she took off, just a small step behind the flash goddess. Quickly taking the lead and crossing the finish line was no easy task. But somehow, Shinobu accomplished that._

"_Good job, Miya. But I was going easy on you."_

"_No you weren't! You never go easy on anyone you liar! I beat you fair and square!"_

"_We'll see about it. Shake on it." Yoruichi held a hand out and Shinobu shook it firmly._

Shinobu snapped her eyes open, Yoruichi leaning over her.

"What the hell...?"

"Morning, Sunshine." she sat up.

"What happened...?"

"Something happened at the manor. All we know is that you got hit on the head with something."

"Where's Nanami?"

"Stay down! You have a concussion."

"Wait, what about your baby shower?"

"Shinobu."

"What?"

"It's been a week and a half."

"You mean I was in a coma?"

"Something like that."

"Oh my god where is Nanami? And what about the maids that were tied up?"

"We got the maids. Nanami went missing."

"Oh my god. I told her that her missing makes me unhappy. What if someone heard and took her?"

"Can you calm down? You're going to make your head hurt."

"No, I can't calm down! While I've been out for a week and a half, anything could have happened to Nanami!" she gripped the sides of her head.

"This is what I meant." the door swung open and Urahara stepped through.

"Yoruichi- Shinobu!" he hugged her.

"Are you okay? How are you feeling? Hungry? Nauseous? Dizzy?"

"You're making my head hurt more than I was." she mumbled.

"Sorry. Yoruichi, I need to talk to you." Urahara let go of his daughter and pulled his fiancee outside. Shinobu listened, shutting down almost all other brain functions to pay attention.

"They found Nanami-san. She's not doing too well."

"We shouldn't tell Shinobu."

"I'm not done." he paused, "Kuchiki-san found her. In trying to protect her, he got badly hurt as well."

"Now we really shouldn't tell her." she slid off the bed and silently opened the doors. Yoruichi and Urahara didn't notice until she took off running, then they started after her as she headed towards the fluctuating Spiritual Pressure. She stopped outside a room with a few people constantly leaving and going back inside. She slipped inside in between the commuting.

"He's stable, but we need to watch him." a nurse nodded and turned only to find Shinobu.

"Shihoin-dono!"

"Is he okay?"

"Shihoin-dono, you need to lay back down."

"Is he okay, or not?"

"Shi-"

"Answer her question, or she won't leave. She may not leave either way." Urahara commented.

"We don't know." she slumped against the wall.

"This is all my fault."

"Shihoin-dono, you really need to lay down before you give yourself a headache."

"This is my fault. If I'd been a better student when I was younger, none of this would have happened." Urahara gripped her arm before she fell to the ground. Picking her up, he nodded to the nurse.

"I've got her. Please alert us when he wakes up. Same with the girl." the nurse nodded and he carried her back to her room.

"If you have a mental breakdown, it's going to spoil our wedding."

"When are you getting married?" she asked, coming back to her senses.

"Three days. We don't want Yoruichi too large." which earned him a smack from said woman.

"Shinobu, just calm down, okay? You need to just get better." she took a deep breath, but didn't respond. Yoruichi and Urahara left, shutting the door behind them. Shinobu laid back in her bed.

"I'm such a worthless kid. She trained me for hours on end, and I can't even manage to carry out one mission successfully." _Correction, _her mind said, _You did carry out your mission. Step one, get the knife. You did that. Step two, free Suzu. You did that. Step three, warn Soifon. You might not have warned her, but you warned everyone. And, as a bonus gift, you fell in love._

"And as a minus, I have gotten hurt tons of times, causing two of my favourite people to worry, and get hurt themselves. I'm a complete failure as a stealth member." _The pros outweigh the cons. Maybe not in number of items, but maybe in total weight._

"Great. I'm arguing with myself. I've gone crazy." she closed her eyes.

"You may be right." was all she said before falling into silence.

Shinobu opened her eyes and nearly screamed at the face above her.

"You scared the shit out of me!" Nanami smiled.

"Sorry. And, sorry I worried you. I guess the guy in the house heard you tell me about the unhappy thing. Anyway, I fell asleep outside, and when I came to, I was in a cave. It was pretty dull, but not as boring as the week and a half you've had! I mean, hit with something and unconscious for a week and a half? That's just insane!"

"Nanami."

"Huh?"

"Good to have you back, chatterbox."

"Eh. Anyway, so I had to wait like, a week and half for help. So I spent my time trying to figure out who you liked. The sad part is, I never got it." Shinobu laughed, then winced.

"Sorry."

"It's alright. Pain is good to keep me from having a breakdown. How's Byakuya?"

"Not sure. Nobody will talk to me. It's so frustrating!"

"You'd think they'd show the person he was trying to protect a little more respect."

"M-hm!" Shinobu sat up, then stood up.

"Are you sure you should be up?"

"If I never get up until they say I can, I will take forever recuperating. Where are my clothes?"

"Yoruichi-sama brought clothes for you."

"Alright. Turn away, young person!" Nanami turned around and Shinobu quickly changed out of hospital garb.

"Do you wanna stay here?"

"Yeah, I'm a bit tired." Nanami sat down in a chair.

"Alright. I'll be back." Nanami nodded and quickly fell asleep. Shinobu sighed and opened her door, then slipped down the hall. On Byakuya's door was a 'Do Not Disturb' sign. She sighed, then opened the door and quickly shut it behind her, thankful for the fact that the blinds were shut. She looked at Byakuya.

"You're totally not asleep. What is with people and faking that they're asleep?" he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Good to see you're awake."

"Eh, I think I have been for like, less than a day, maybe. How long have you been feigning sleep?"

"Too long."

"So why didn't you get up? You're looking a little sickly in that bed."

"Because I didn't want to wake up to you gone."

"Well I'm not gone. Unless this is some kind of dream, because if so, this is some shitty dream, because my head hurts like hell." he smirked and she leaned against the wall.

"Are you good enough to get up? I mean, at least take the tubes out of your arm. I've been in, like, a coma for a week, and I had no tubes to wake up to. Instead I had my mother's freakish face." his smirk grew into a slight smile.

"Do you need help?"

"Please." she gently started pulling the IVs out.

"You know, Rukia is probably freaking out right now. She's so sensitive." he didn't respond.

"But that's a family problem, so I'm not going to butt in or anything." she pulled the last IV out and placed it on the table, the started turning knobs so all the tubes would stop leaking. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

"Thanks for getting Nanami. And sorry that I made you worry." she looked at the door as it opened slightly.

"Nii-sama! Shihoin-dono!" she sighed. _I really don't like being called that. _Rukia stepped into the room and closed the door.

"You're awake!" no response.

"Why did you go on such a dangerous mission? I mean, not that I don't think Nanami-chan wasn't worth saving-"

"Stop babbling, Rukia."

"Yes Nii-sama!"

"These are yours?" he asked, clearing inquiring about several dishes.

"Uh, yes Nii-sama! I made sure not to bring anything sweet."

"You don't like sweets? I never knew that."

"Thank you, Rukia." he replied, ignoring Shinobu's comment.

"Your welcome Nii-sama. Are you sure you should be taking the IVs out?"

"That would be my fault. And I'm sure he's fine." Shinobu grinned.

"Well, Nii-sama. If you'll excuse me, Renji is doing paperwork." Shinobu laughed.

"It'll never get done right." Rukia nodded, and left.

"I think you need to get a tutor for your Lieutenant." he sighed.

"Or maybe you should tutor him?" he looked at her.

"I was joking! Anyway, if I'm gone too long, Nanami will start to worry. I mean, she fell asleep, but if she wakes up and I'm still gone, you never know. See ya." she slipped out of the room and started away to her room.

"SHINOBU-DONO!" someone cried.

"WHAT?" losing her focus, she stepped in a puddle and slipped, crashing to the ground.

"Sh...t" she hissed, holding her head.

"This is why you shouldn't be up!" she recognized the person who'd stripped her earlier.

"It's your damn fault, moron! If you hadn't called out, I wouldn't have slipped. And why the hell is there a puddle in the Infirmary? It's a fucking hazard!"

"There's a puddle because Captain Zaraki is throwing things around!"

"Why?"

"Because he's _still _injured and we won't let him leave." Shinobu clenched her teeth, then picked herself up.

"Where is he?"

"Right over there, but-" she didn't wait for the nurse to answer as she walked towards the room. She quickly dove behind the furious man and put him in a head lock.

"Zaraki, calm down-" he tried to pull out and her jerked him back down, "before I snap your neck. You're going to be in here for a while, so just get over your damn ego, and let people take care of you!" as she finished, someone shot him with a tranquilizer and he stopped straining. She let go and sighed.

"Damn moronic captain." turning on her heel, she left the room and walked back to her room.

"Onee-sama! I heard a crash!"

"That was either me, or Zaraki throwing things. Don't worry about it."

"What happened to you?"

"Slipped and fell. No biggy. Anyway, shouldn't you be getting back home?"

"I live at the Manor."

"That makes sense. Then go back and sleep in my room so no one will attack you, okay?" Nanami nodded and left. Sighing, the young noble sat down in a chair, and someone came in.

"Shihoin-dono." she looked up.

"What do you want?"

"Captain Unohana requested we get an X-Ray of your head."

"I'm completely fine. Tell her I'm leaving."

"Shihoin-sama-"

"Don't. Don't call me so formally." she brushed past the nurse and walked down the hall to Kyoraku's room, then, surprisingly, found him inside.

"Kyoraku."

"Someone's not happy." he stopped drinking sake.

"Put it down so I can make sure you're sober before you answer my question." he did as told. She smacked him.

"Ow!"

"You have passed test one. What is my name?"

"Shihoin Shinobu."

"You have passed test two. Who is your lover?"

"Nanao-chan. Oops."

"I already knew that, remember? You passed test three. So, Sober Kyoraku, which Captains are in the infirmary?"

"Well, Byakuya-kun, Zaraki-san, Ukitake-kun, Soifon-chan, Komamura-san, Hitsugaya-kun, and me. Do you need Lieutenants too?"

"There's Lieutenants here?"

"Yes. I believe Omeada, Kira,"

"Damn it."

"I'm not done! Omeada, Kira, Hinamori, and Shuhei."

"So out of twenty two people, eleven are out. Damn it!"

"Well, you're more important than you think."

"Thanks. Like I didn't know that." she muttered.

"That's all I needed." she turned away, but her grabbed her arm.

"Look. There's only six captains left. You need to protect them with your life." she nodded.

"Also. The group. They've been looking for you, setting up traps in random places, out of the way that we would go. You need to be careful as well."

"I get the point, Kyoraku. Why are you still in here?"

"Eh," he rubbed the back of his head.

"Nanao-chan got mad for some reason and threw a desk at my head."

"Ouch. Gotta run." she smiled, then walked outside the room and leaned against the door.

"Yamamoto, Sasakibe, Unohana, Kotetsu, Renji, Iba, Nanao, Rangiku, Yachiru, Kurotsuchi, and Nemu." she sighed and rested her head on the door.


	7. Chapter 7

"I thought after the Winter War, life would be easy peasy." she sighed. She shunpoed away, only to have the sound of a siren blasting in her ear.

"Emergency Groups to Squad Twelve!" the voice called over Infirmary speaker. She sighed.

"Cross off Kurotsuchi and Nemu." as soon as she was out of the vicinity, she sat down.

"Damn. I forgot all about the Winter War." leaning back against the tree, she closed her eyes.

"_We're leaving, Shinobu. I want you to make sure that the town is safe, alright?" she nodded, and Yoruichi and Urahara disappeared. Shinobu tugged on her boots and walked out of the house, passing by sleeping humans. After walking around town a while, Aizen's presence was the only thing that changed. Suddenly, she watched someone she knew well fly across the sky._

"_Rangiku-chan!" she shunpoed up to her friend, Gin standing above her._

"_Keep her safe." and the fox man was gone. She cursed._

"_This way, Tatsuki!"_

"_I'm done pretending."_

"_Aizen-sama." she listened to the vague conversation, then jumped down when she heard Gin use his Shikai. _

"_Tatsuki, over here." she called. Tatsuki and her group of friends ran over to her._

"_I want you guys to climb up onto that roof. Rangiku-chan is up there. Can you keep an eye on her?" They nodded and started up the ladder. Shinobu turned around to watch Aizen attack Gin. She cursed under her breath and whispered, "Shunko." then ran at Aizen, catching him in the stomach and knocking him down into the ground._

"_You think that will subdue me? The Hogyoku is mine. It is part of me. All you are doing is buying yourself time."_

"_Maybe that's what I want to do." she struck out at him again, but he dodged and grabbed her arm._

"_You bough precious moments for Gin, and lost your life in the proccess."_

"_Hardly." she glanced at Ichigo behind him._

"_Getsuga Tensho!" Aizen shunpoed out of range, carrying Shinobu with him. She kicked him in the gut, forcing him to let go of her, then punched him in the jaw._

"_Nice going." Behind Ichigo, two unknown, raven haired Captains arrived._

"_That Espada put up a good fight. But he messed up my hair." she looked at the Captain with his hair up in spikes, bells on each end._

"_Let Ichigo take care of this, alright?" she jumped up, over Ichigo and Aizen, and stopped, back to back with Ichigo._

"_Can you deal with Aizen?" he nodded._

"_Alright. Seriously, Mr. Noble Captain and Mr. Weird Hair Captain, can you please leave this to Ichigo?"_

"_And let him have all the fun? I don't th-" she knocked the bell haired man to the ground and put her elbow at his throat._

"_Can you please leave this to Ichigo?"_

"_Fine. Just because you asked nicely." the Noble Captain smirked._

"_Do you have something to say, Captain?"_

"_I hadn't planned on interfering."_

"_Alright then. Now, Captain Number Two," she looked back down at the bell haired captain, "Don't you think of doing anything stupid. I'm only going to be on that roof, taking care of Rangiku-chan." She jumped off of him and landed next to Tatsuki._

"_How is she?"_

"_She's dead."_

"_No. No. NO!" she shunpoed down to Gin, elbow at his throat._

"_You killed her. Why? Why? You two were childhood friends, and you murdered her! You traitor!"_

"_Calm down, Shinobu." Yoruichi put a hand on her shoulder._

"_He killed her!"_

"_I had to make some sacrifices." she pulled back her elbow._

"_We've got Orihime. She can bring Rangiku back."_

"_See? I knew it would turn out well." Shinobu narrowed her eyes and slapped Gin._

"_You don't deserve to live." she shunpoed back onto the roof, where Orihime was currently reviving Rangiku. The Lieutenant sat up and gasped._

"_Don't give Gin seconds chances, Rangiku-chan." was all she said._

"That fucking bastard." she hissed, opening her eyes.

"I'm glad he died."

"Shinobu-chan!" she looked up.

"Rangiku-chan!"

"You looked mad, and sad. What's wrong?"

"Just remembering my part in the Winter War."

"Where I died? Don't think about that. Gin is gone, and never coming back."

"I know. Anyway, did you need something?"

"I don't need anything. I haven't talked to you in forever!"

"Well, I've been in and out of the Infirmary."

"I know. Anyway," Rangiku sat down next to her, "It's girl time."

"Eh?"

"So, who do you like?"

"I'll give you the same clues I gave Nanami. You know him. He caring, overprotective, and has a short tempter sometimes."

"The opposite of Captain Kuchiki."

"Exactly what Nanami said. Anyway, why did you think that? Is he on your mind a lot?"

"Yes. Because I want to crack open that cold hard shell and find the gold underneath."

"That's not a weird explanation."

"It's not! Anyway, it can't be Captain Kuchiki, unless it's his twin in disguise. And I can't think of any other Captains who would be like that."

"Who said it had to be a Captain?"

"You're right! But wait. You've spent all your time by Captain Kuchiki. So it has to be him!"

"Could you be any louder?"

"Yes. Plenty."

"Don't be. And don't you have some paperwork to do?"

"I almost forgot!" Rangiku flashed away, and Shinobu pulled herself to her feet, then realized where she was.

"I'm at Gin's grave. Gawd dammit." she sighed and shook it off. Shunpoing away, she offered a glance behind, only to notice a marigold.

"She must miss him." she whispered.

She slid through the door of the Shihoin Manor.

"Yoruichi?"

"Ah! Shinobu. Sorry, but-"

"They turned my room into the baby's room. I know. I was coming to tell you I'll be staying at the Kuchiki Manor."

"Alright. Are you coming to the wedding?"

"Of course." she grinned.

"Anyway, I'll be off." Shinobu bowed to her mother, somewhat feeling distant, then shunpoed away to the Kuchiki Manor.

"Nanami?"

"Right on time! I'm going to run out for groceries, if you want to come."

"Oh. Okay. Lemme go change clothes first. These ones are gross." Nanami nodded.

"I'll be outside. Oh, and take this." Nanami handed Shinobu a braided bracelet.

"Okay." she walked back to her room and changed into a normal Soul Reaper uniform. As she slipped her waraji(shoes), a scream sounded and she ran outside of the house.

"Nanami?" she called, then spotted the girl, bleeding on the ground.

"Nanami!" she knelt down.

"Nanami!"

"She's gone, Shinobu." she looked up at Sasake.

"How'd you escape?"

"Stealth guards are easy to beat." she looked back down at Nanami and closed the girls eyes.

"Have I done enough to make you realize you can't beat us?" she didn't respond, only cradling Nanami.

"I guess I have. Learn your lesson, Shihoin. We are too numerous. We are too strong. You will never know the vast extents of our people. Take this to heart, and stop interfering." Sasake disappeared and she bent over Nanami.

"Please wake up. Wake up, Nanami. C'mon." tears streamed down Shinobu's face and she buried her face in Nanami's stomach.

"This isn't fair!" she cried.

"What was that scream?" the eldest maid inquired, coming over to her.

"Is that... Nanami? You killed her? You killed her! I knew you were no good! I told everyone, but no one listens to an old maid. I knew you would do something like this! You weren't brought up to be a noble. You're a savage living under the name, dirtying said name. Yamasaki was right. You are just a child. A selfish child. A savage child. A horrid child."

"That's enough."

"You see too, Lord Kuchiki? I knew she was no good. She's only brought bad luck upon the Kuchiki and Shihoin names."

"You're married to Yamasaki." Shinobu said bluntly, still clutching Nanami.

"Wh-"

"You're married to him. It's obvious. His hatred for me was too much for him. So of course, you sympathized with him and took some of his anger. That's why you're so desperate to ruin me. Nanami told me all about your plan to frame me for everything possible to make me look bad."

"Is this true?" Byakuya narrowed his eyes at the maid.

"Of course not! She's spouting lies to save herself. She doesn't care about others. Just look at my poor Nanami..." even as she spoke, fear lurked in her mind and leaked into her voice and eyes.

"Leave."

"You do not seriously believe this incompetent girl?"

"She has never lied to me. Now leave."

"I can't believe this. She has already corrupted you." the maid lifted her skirt and headed back inside. Byakuya squatted down beside her.

"What happened?"

"Sasake came. While I was changing."

"Did he say anything?"

"'Have I done enough to make you realize you can't beat us? I guess I have. Learn your lesson, Shihoin. We are too numerous. We are too strong. You will never know the vast extents of our people. Take this to heart, and stop interfering.'" she gripped Nanami harder and Byakuya put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. Shinobu continued crying until Yoruichi arrived.

"Byakuya, what's going on? Shinobu's Spiritual Pressure is- Oh..." Yoruichi knelt down on her other side.

"I'll take Nanami, okay Shinobu?" she didn't respond, so Yoruichi pulled the limp body out of the girl's arms and flashed away. Byakuya took his chance and wrapped both arms around her.

"We'll find Sasake." she nodded and returned his embrace.

When Shinobu woke up, the first thing she realized was that she'd fallen asleep. The second thing was that she wasn't in _her _bed. The third was that who ever's bed this was, had an extremely soft and squishy bed. And the fourth, was remembering Nanami was gone. After letting out a heavy sigh, she realized someone else was in the room. Opening her eyes, she sat up, and figured out who's room she was in. She looked at the man.

"Takuma?"

"Lady Shinobu." he bowed.

"Don't you work at the Shihoin Manor?"

"Lady Yoruichi sent me over here."

"Oh." _I said I'd talk to him._

"Takuma, did you know Nanami?" he turned red.

"Yes. I... I like her very much." Shinobu smiled, then realized that he'd used present tense.

"Y-y-you didn't hear?"

"Hear what, Lady Shinobu?" she looked down at her wrist where she'd tied the bracelet, then untied it and gave it to Takuma.

"She... died...?"

"I'm really sorry. You can go back to the Manor or home or wherever if you want."

"Thank you." Takuma walked away, and she laid back down for a second.

"That is probably the most heart wrenching news I've ever given." she sighed heavily again, then got up and made the bed, and looked around the room. Upon finding a white piece of paper, she headed over to the desk and unfolded it.

"Shinobu, stay at the Manor for today, please." she put the paper down and looked around.

"There's no clock in here? He really must hate time or something." she slipped out of Byakuya's room and down the hall into hers. She changed into clean, not bloody, clothes, then headed out towards the kitchen and rooted around for something small.

"Shihoin-dono, are you looking for something?"

"Nah. I'm just going to go ou-"

"You can't do that. Lord Kuchiki ordered us to keep you here."

"Last time he ordered you guys to do something, it didn't work out well." she muttered.

"You're the new chef?" she inquired.

"Not so new anymore, but yeah, I guess."

"Alright. I can't leave, right?"

"Correct."

"So, can I have some food?"

"Certainly! What would you like?"

"Do you know what pancakes are?"

"Pan cakes?"

"One word. I'll show you how to make them, alright?"

"But a Noble such as yourself-"

"Can do whatever I want. Pancakes are my comfort food. Alright, we're going to need flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, milk, eggs, and melted butter." and so the duo went step by step in how to make pancakes.

"These pancakes are easy to make."

"You're telling me? I've been making these puppies since we started living in the shop. Tessai tends to make them weird." she flipped three onto her plate.

"Why don't you eat the extras?"

"Eh?"

"C'mon. It's extra _pancakes_. Don't let them go to waste!"

"Alright..." the chef put the rest on a plate.

"Maple syrup and butter?"

"Cabinet." she grabbed said ingredients and slathered her pancakes in both, then sat down.

"Oh for God's sake, come sit down." he sat down across from her, and started eating.

"These are fantastic!"

"The wonders."

"Could you put blueberries in these?"

"Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, bananas. Almost any kind of fruit. Not tomato though. That's gross." he nodded and both ate ravenously.

"I'll help you clean up, okay?"

"Now I really need to object to that. Cooking can be a hobby, but not cleaning up."

"When one cooks, one must clean up her own mess." she slid past him and ignored his protests, then started washing the dishes and such. When she was done, she smiled.

"Easy peasy." she wiped her hands off and the chef gaped at her.

"What?"

"You act like someone who was raised in a middle class family."

"Uh, I was. The Shop wasn't particularly Manor like. Anyway, I'm going to go find whoever is in charge of chores."

"EH?"

"I have severe ADHD. I can't keep still." she slid out of the kitchen and eventually found the current chore assigner.

"What chores was... Nanami supposed to do?"

"Wash the floors of the house. Why?"

"Where can I find the sponges and bucket?"

"In the closet. Why?"

"Because I'm doing her job, why else?" she grabbed said supplies while the assigner tried to stop her, but Shinobu still got down on her hands and knees and started cleaning.

She wrung out her sponge and leaned against the wall.

"Wow. The was tiring. And she did this all the time?"

"Every Saturday."

"Rukia!"

"Shihoin-dono, _what _are you _doing_?"

"Nanami's job. What else?"

"Nii-sama wanted you to stay in the house so you wouldn't overwork yourself and break down. Not so you could do her job."

"Your brother has a very short memory span." she picked up the bucket and walked outside, then dumped out the dirty water.

"Shihoin-dono, you need to stop working, before he gets home and gets mad."

"Oh, he won't get mad. I told him I have ADHD."

"You've got ADHD? I thought only children got that?"

"It's a disorder, not a disease. And in rare cases, adults keep it."

"Wow."

"Yeah." she put the bucket away.

"Besides, being busy gives me no time to stress and feel guilty about Nanami's death."

"That sounded completely lighthearted."

"Don't get me wrong. I'll probably have a complete breakdown later. Hey, what time is it?"

"Almost dinner."

"GAH! I skipped lunch?"

"Probably."

"Does Byakuya usually come back for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Don't purposely tell him I was working, okay?"

"Alright." Shinobu looked at the pictures.

"EH?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nobody dusted!"

"I'm so sorry Shihoin-dono! That was my job! I'm running behind!" a young girl ran in front of the two older women and started furiously dusting the glass.

"Eh...?" the door next to them opened and all three looked at the door.

"Lord Kuchiki! I'm so sorry I didn't get to dusting, I ran behind!" the girl bowed and Shinobu's eyes widened.

"I'll help you dust..." Shinobu offered.

"Nonesense! You can't help me, that's offensive to your pride as a noble!" the girl cried.

"Why does everybody keep telling me stuff like that?" she muttered.

"Why are you cleaning?" she gaped at Byakuya.

"You forgot. I can't believe you." Rukia slid in next to her brother and whispered something. His eyes widened.

"I guess I did forget."

"That's not the only reason though. You're short a maid, and I want to earn my keep."

"You already have, Shinobu. Could you please stop trying to-"

"Shihoin-dono! I forgot a step to making the pan cakes."

"One word, man! It's one word! Excuse me, Byakuya-kun, but I need to reteach your chef how to make pancakes." he watched her move to the kitchen.

"GAH! You forgot the buttermilk!"

"AH!"

"It's burning! Turn the stove off, quick!" smoke billowed out of the kitchen.

"Shihoin-dono!" Rukia ran inside.

"Rukia no!"

"Ow ow hot hot!"

"Don't grab the batter!"a loud crash sounded, but the smoke stopped. Byakuya walked towards the kitchen where Shinobu was laughing, on the floor, covered in batter.

"I think we should save pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. Deal?"

"Deal." the chef dropped his head onto the floor. Rukia lay on top of him, and Shinobu across Rukia's legs. _She manages to forget that her sister figure is gone and live normally._ Byakuya had to keep himself from smiling. Instead he took a step inside.

"No, Byakuya!" his foot slipped on more spilled batter and he hit the floor.

"Good job." Shinobu picked herself up and offered him a hand, which he gladly took.

"I'll start making dinner." the chef offered.

"I'll help you clean up this mess."

"No, Shinobu, go change."

"Eh? Alright. But I'm going to go wash my hair out somewhere then. It'll be bad if this batter dries." she ran out of the room, and Rukia looked at the chef.

"I'll help you clean up." she offered. He nodded and the two started while the lord headed to his own room. Shinobu quickly escaped her room, hair down, and ran towards the river and to the other side, where she dropped down to the beach and stuck her head in the river.

"Oh lord that's freezing." she shunpoed back to the house and wrung her head out in the bathroom, then scrubbed her hair drier and brushed it out flat. Rukia knocked on the door.

"Eh, sorry. I was drying my hair." she opened the door.

"Rukia!"

"Hi. I just wanted to ask you a few questions. In private." Rukia pushed her inside the bathroom and shut the door.

"What's going on between you and Nii-sama?" she blinked.

"Can you give me a few more details? That's a little unclear."

"I think you know what I mean."

"I do? Because I don't think I do."

"You're stalling."

"I am?"

"Shihoin-dono!"

"I get the point. I told the same thing to Nanami once. You'll have to wait to find out." she smiled and tried to scoot past the younger girl.

"Shihoin-dono! I'm perfectly serious." Shinobu, now at the door, looked at Rukia out of the corner of her eye.

"So am I." opening the door, she faced the young noble.

"Anyway, see you at dinner!" she grinned, and headed to the kitchen.

"What's for dinner, Yoshiro?"

"Something super nice."

"Do I smell baked ziti? And onion rolls? Oh this smells like heaven on a plate." she looked at the foods.

"Eh, you forgot the Parmesan cheese."

"Gah! It's a wonder I ever found work here, at the rate I'm forgetting things."

"It's only because I'm here. Don't worry. You're an amazing chef. Like, those giant salmon?"

"Oh, I heard you shouting about those."

"They were huge! And delicious, of course. So never worry too much about who you're serving. Just worry about making the best dish ever, every day."

"Thanks for the advice. Truth me told, I worry if Lord Kuchiki is going to hate my dish all the time."

"Hey. He doesn't like sweets. I know that. Tomorrow, try something spicy. Because if you don't like sweets, you usually like spicy things."

"Again, thanks for the advice." she turned to leave.

"Eh, Shihoin-dono." she sighed at the formal use of her name, "Yes?"

"Are you talented at everything?"

"No. You guys just think I am. I'm actually quite bad at being a stealth member. If I'd grown up in Seireitei, I'd have been raised to be way better, but Yoruichi was lenient, so now I'd be more suited for Squad Nine, not Two."

"Why not Six? I heard Lord Kuchiki is in command of that Squad."

"Why not Six? Good question." she leaned against the wall and put a finger on her lower lip.

"I'd have to say because there's such a thing as too much of a good thing," her voice took on a more serious tone, causing Yoshiro to freeze up, "and I'm fairly bad at taking commands from people." she added, in a much more playful tone. He shook himself out.

"Of course." she smiled slyly and headed out to the table, then sat down. She looked at the table a head of her, and a crash rang out.

"_Onee-sama, I heard a crash."_ she looked up, then climbed to her feet and headed to the kitchen.

Yoshiro..." he grinned at her, covered by pots and pans.

"Now we're going to have to clean them all."

"At least the food wasn't on any of those." she helped him up, then they started stacking the pots and pans on the counter.

"Is the food done?"

"Yeah, just gotta split it up into portions." she nodded, then headed back out to the table.

"_What happened to you?"_ she kept looking down.

"Shihoin-dono?" she looked up.

"Eh?"

"I asked you what the noise in the kitchen was."

"Oh! Sorry. It was Yoshiro. And please don't get mad at him. He's still adjusting." she smiled at Rukia, who sat down next to her.

"Anyway, how's it going in the Squads?"

"It seems okay. The Captains keep getting in weird accidents though. And Captain Ukitake is really sick again."

"Oh no. Next time I go back to the World of the Living, I'm gonna ask Isshin for medicine."

"Isshin, as in Ichigo's dad?"

"Yes. I know him well, sadly."

"I never knew!"

"You never would have. I didn't go over there, he came over to the Shop."

"Oh."

"Dinner is served." Yoshiro came out and set two plates down, then paused.

"Where is Lord Kuchiki?"

"Where _is_ he?"

"Nii-sama runs late occasionally." Rukia supplied. Said person walked into the room and took his place. Yoshiro set his plate down and fled. Shinobu watched him go. _That was weird... _

"The Elders are eating with us tomorrow."

"Eh?" both Rukia and her asked at the same time. Shinobu quickly shook her head out.

"Then I'll eat out tomorrow."

"There's no need."

"I would feel like I'm intruding. I'm not a Kuchiki." she smiled faintly.

"Besides. I think your Elders would be disgusted by well... just me." Byakuya grimaced, knowing just how true that statement was. Shinobu put a forkful of ziti in her mouth, chewed, then swallow before imagining what the Elders would say about her. _"She's a little loud, and shows entirely too much feeling. But if she could just act like a noble in public, she'd be perfect." _she shook her head, and realized that both Rukia and Byakuya were thinking the same thing. She sighed.

"Yeah. Somehow, I can see that only going downhill. Anyway, I can take Na-Mitsutateru." her smile fell, but was quickly replaced by a ghost from before. They finished the meal in silence, and she helped Yoshiro clean the dishes.

"So you won't be eating with us tomorrow?"

"I may help you make the meal, but I won't be eating. Elders and me don't mix well." she hung the last pot back up and looked at their handiwork.

"Alright. Well, I'm off to my room." she smiled and left to her room room, only to change out of her now wet clothes. As soon as she was done, she slipped out of her room and shunpoed out of the house, then back across the river.

Rain thundered down on Shinobu's back as she sat down on the beach, watching the water as it swelled and fell in waves. The water crashed against rocks, spraying her with foam. Lightning cracked overhead and thunder soon followed. The young noble hugged her knees as the rain soaked her through. The rain streamed down her face, camouflaging her tears. She put her head on her knees and closed her eyes.

"_Is that ribbon special?"_

"_My dad told me to never take it off. And my mom gave me another ribbon, but I lost that one."_

"_You don't seem like a ribbon girl."_

"If you'd given me one, I'd have worn it all the time." she whispered.

"Shinobu, I know that you're sad, but sitting out in the rain isn't going to help any." she looked up at Urahara.

"I'm not moving."

"Still stubborn." he sat down next to her and put an arm over her shoulders.

"If this is all about the Nanami girl, she died happy."

"How could she have died happy? We were going to get groceries!"

"But she would have been with you. You don't seem to realize it, but almost anyone in your presence is happy."

"Except for me."

"That's your own fault. Either way, you need to cheer up. Two days until the wedding. You can't still be mourning." he put his hat on her head.

"I'm soaking wet, and if I get sick, it'll be bad. Gotta run, but you better brighten up. Besides, I think you've caused quite the ruckus in the Kuchiki Manor. Nobles don't take people disappearing too well." he disappeared and she put her head back down, but managing to keep the hat on. _He's just telling me to move on, of course. And he must realize that his old hat trick won't work anymore._

"Shihoin-dono!" she looked back at Rukia.

"Why are you out in the rain? And why do you have Urahara-sama's hat?"

"The rain fits my mood. And when I was a kid and upset, he would give me his hat and I'd calm down. It's his way of being a dad." she put her head back down and Rukia walked up next to her.

"Shihoin-dono, we need to get out of the rain. You're going to get sick."

"Let me get sick." Rukia sighed and shunpoed away.

"_There. That way, this hat will always be mine."_ _she put the green marker away and showed Urahara._

"_Good way to make sure it stays yours." he smiled._

Shinobu sighed and put a hand on the hat.

"Shinobu." she didn't respond. Byakuya crouched down beside her.

"You getting sick isn't going to solve anything." she mumbled something incoherently, and he knelt down beside her.

"Let's go back to the Manor." he stood up straight and so did she.

"I can't stay sad." she pushed the hat down on her head.

"I've got a question for you, before we go." he paused.

"Are you going to the wedding?"

"Was I supposed to?"

"Well I have to go, so I was just wondering." she grinned.

"I know you don't like my parents, so you don't have to go. Besides, you've got more important things to do, like making sure no one else gets attacked, right? And we've got to hunt down Sasa-"

"Shakkaho." Byakuya pushed Shinobu to the ground, then ducked down above her.

"Good job Captain. I didn't think you'd be quick enough." Shinobu picked her head up off the sand and grit her teeth. Byakuya got off of her and pulled her to her feet.

"I hate little sneaks like you."

"Then what do you call yourself? You're definitely not an average Soul Reaper, especially because you took Kurotsuchi's potion."

"It was to kill time." she muttered.

"Byakurai." the light shot from her hand and hit Sasake. As she reached for Mizutateru, Byakuya's hand stopped her.

"Wise decision, Cap-i-tan." Sasake disappeared.

"Why?"

"That wasn't actually him."

"Huh?"

"It wasn't him."

"How?"

"His shikai."

"Damn it!"

"Let's get back to the Manor, alright?" she nodded and the two flashed away.

"_Oh, does Cap-i-tan Kuchiki have a crush on the Shihoin?"_ at the entrance to her room, she paused.

"Cap-i-tan." Shinobu spun on her heel and almost crashed into Yoruichi behind her.

"Lord almighty, where'd you come from?"

"I was coming to check up on your. Where are you going?"

"I just figured something out. Cap-i-tan."

"Huh?"

"When I was in the Infirmary before I got attacked here, a nurse tackled me and when Byakuya came back in, she called him Cap-i-tan. A few minutes ago, someone who was pretending to be Sasake called him Cap-i-tan."

"As in people in Squad Four are in the group too?"

"And I know what this girl looks like."

"C'mon then."

"Uh no." Shinobu laid a hand on Yoruichi's bulging stomach.

"I think not. Not with you. Go back to the Manor."

"But-"

"Do you want that baby to be born with a defect because you won't take care of yourself?" Yoruichi paused.

"Exactly. Now go!" sighing, the pregnant noble disappeared and Shinobu started out of her hall.

"Shihoin-dono!" she looked at the door.

"Takuma?"

"I came to give this back to you. If she gave it to you, you should keep it."

"But-"

"She talked about you a lot, so just keep it." he ran out of the house, leaving the bracelet in her hand. Slipping it back on her wrist, she looked around, then started away, only to be jerked backwards by someone latching onto her wrist.

"Holy-" she fell to the ground, head first. After landing with a loud _thunk!_ she sat up and looked at Byakuya who still had a grip on her.

"Where are you going?"

"Was that necessary? Couldn't you have just followed me?" he didn't respond.

"That nurse from before, who called you Cap-i-tan Kuchiki. And then the Sasake imposter called you Cap-i-tan." his eyes widened and she sighed.

"Now can I have my arm back?" he let go.

"Why would anyone in Squad Four be-"

"Unhappy with their Captain? Squad Four members don't get the best respect from Soul Reapers. As shown by Zaraki. Anyway, they have plenty reason to want a new Soul Society where they're respected." she stood up and brushed her pants off.

"And I was going to go find that nurse. Do doubt I hit her with my Byakurai, which means she has to be healing somewhere."

"I'm going with you."

"Of course you are." she shunpoed off and he followed. Stopping in the infirmary, she walked straight past people, who started to ask her something, then backed off. She looked through the window of each room as she passed, then stopped and looked through the window.


	8. Chapter 8

"She's in here."

"Shihoin-dono! Captain Kuchiki! You can't just storm in here-" Shinobu ignored the person and stepped into the room. The nurse stared at her wide eyed, then attempted to shunpo away, but the person treating her held her down.

"I'm not done healing you! What do you need, Shihoin-dono? Kuchiki-sama?"

"Her."

"Why? She injured."

"S-s-she shot me."

"Yeah. Because you tried to shoot me first, you tard. Don't let your snootiness leak into your speech, Cap-i-tan."

"Shihoin-san. Kuchiki-san." Shinobu turned around, and proceeded to freeze at Unohana's gaze.

"May I ask what brings you to the Infirmary today? Surely not injury."

"Uhm..."

"We suspect that this girl is assisting someone to try and assassinate Shihoin-san."

"And may I inquire about your proof?"

"Ai said that Shihoin-dono had shot at her." the nurse said.

"The only time I've shot anything or anyone today was a few minutes ago at the beach on our property when she shot at me first."

"You were on Shihoin property?" Unohana turned her gaze on Ai, the evil nurse, and Ai froze. _I swear, Unohana could stop a war, or start one, with a glance. _

"Y-y-y-yes. S-s-s-sasake-sama ordered me to try and assassinate Shihoin-sama."

"So you admit to it." Ai's eyes widened as if realizing what she'd just said. Shinobu leaned against the wall and sighed.

"Yes." _I didn't think it was going to be this easy. _Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.

"Hey. I've got a question for you." Ai looked at her.

"Was it you, or Sasake himself, who killed Nanami?"

"Nanami? Sasake-sama talked about her. He said she was his next target."

"So it was him." she leaned back again.

"Shihoin-san, I'll leave Ai to you, then." the nurse and Unohana left, and Shinobu looked at Ai.

"Who's the leader?"

"Sasake-sama."

"Damn. Do you know everyone who's in the group?"

"No. None. I couldn't go to meetings."

"Why?"

"Several people couldn't, Sasake-sama said, because we had to keep up our jobs. So he would come around personally and tell us what happened. He'd also tell us what our duty was."

"Did all the people he visit work in the Infirmary?"

"I don't have to answer you."

"Answer." Byakuya said. As if realizing he was there for the first time, Ai froze up and stared like a deer in headlights, realizing its certain demise.

"N-n-n-no. A lot did though. Many worked in Squad Two as well."

"Do you know which Squads have people in the group?"

"I don't know that." Shinobu looked at Byakuya, who was watching Ai intently.

"Alright. One, two, four, six, seven, eight, ten."

"Why not the others?"

"Not three, five, and nine because they are fiercely loyal."

"And eleven, twelve, and thirteen?"

"Eleven, all they care about is how fun fighting is. Twelve, no one there is disrespected. Thirteen, same as three, five, and nine."

"Did Sasake ever tell you where the meetings took place?"

"No."

"Have you met anyone in Squad Four in the group?"

"No."

"Anyone period?"

"No."

"What was your task?"

"Follow Shinobu Shihoin, and assassinate her if she attempts to talk about the group with any." Shinobu grit her teeth. Byakuya glanced at her, then took over.

"What was your duty afterward?"

"Listen into the Captains that are currently here and do the same."

"And if you got caught?"

"Kill myself." Shinobu flashed to Ai's left.

"Enkosen!"

"Byakurai." the blue beam went straight through Ai's head and into the shield. It disappeared, and Ai slumped over, bleeding heavily from the hole in the middle of her head. The shield shattered and Shinobu held her arms in front of her face.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because it would have gone straight through the wall!"

"And if it had hit you?"

"Better me than you, or anyone else. I'd have healed faster." she walked over to Ai.

"She really was dedicated to the cause. Enough to blow a hole through her own head." the window squeaked open.

"Ai!" Shinobu turned around, only to be thrown into the wall, hand on her throat.

"Why?"

"She killed herself. She told us that you told her that if she got caught, that she needed to kill herself."

"Why did you let her?"

"There was no time to react!" he pressed on her throat harder and she gasped.

"Sasake, put her down."

"Why should I? Wouldn't it hurt you if she died? You took away Ai! I should take away Shinobu!" Shinobu grit her teeth and tried to pry his fingers off her neck.

"Let go of her."

"No." losing the battle to stay awake, Shinobu's eyes shut and Sasake threw her into the wall behind.

"Bakudo Number 61Rikujokoro." Sasake was stopped in place by the yellow beams.

"She'll be dead soon, regardless. By now her organs would start shutting down, oblivious to the fact that she is able to breath now. Anyway, you should know how it feels to lose a loved one." Byakuya knelt down beside Shinobu and put two fingers under her jaw.

"She's gone, Cap-i-tan."

"No. Just unconscious."

"So maybe she's been trained better. I have a question for you, Cap-i-tan. What would you do if her memory got erased? What if her body reset itself?"

"She'll be fine."

"Captain Kuchiki?" he looked behind him.

"I will take care of Shinobu-san. Please deal with Sasake." Unohana picked Shinobu up and flashed away.

"Komamura."

"Kuchiki."

"Deal with Sasake as you see fit." Byakuya shunpoed after Unohana.

"Kuchiki-san, she won't be awake for sometime. Her body has to adjust, as it does every time she gets injured as such." Byakuya nodded, but regardless, sat down in a chair.

Shinobu opened her eyes.

"Am I really in here again? It seems like almost every time I wake up, I'm either in here, or somewhere I usually wouldn't be." she sighed and looked at Byakuya.

"Hey. I swear, do you think you're imagining things or something?" she slid off the bed when he still didn't look up.

"Okay, you asked for it. Just remember that." she smacked his head and he looked up.

"Oh my god! Are you deaf?"

"You hit me."

"Yes, I did, because you're obviously so out of it that you can't tell what's real or not!" he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

"Are you okay?" in response, he only moved a hand to her head and embraced her tighter. Resisting all urges to squirm, she just relaxed. _What's he stressed over? Sasake might be a moron, but he isn't stupid enough to actually kill me. Is he? I mean, I don't know what he said after I passed out. He could have been completely crazy with rage. _

"What do you remember?"

"Sasake. And you. Trying to get him to let go." he let out a sigh of relief.

"You afraid I forgot my whole stay here? If that had happened, I'd probably be too scared of you to hit you." she smiled and his grip firmed.

"I'm fine, seriously. There's no reason to freak o-" his lips met hers, quite forcefully. She tensed, then relaxed again. A few seconds later, he pulled away and she looked at him.

"Why are you so upset?" he pulled her back into the embrace before answering.

"I've almost lost you too many times."

"This battle isn't over yet, so there's going to be more times."

"That's not reassuring."

"Sorry." A knock came on the door and he released her so she could open it.

"Shinobu!"

"Yoruichi?" the pregnant noble launched at her eldest child, knocking her to the ground.

"What is your problem? I'm not dead or dying, so stop acting like it!"

"Ohhh, could you let me enjoy this for a minute?" She paused while Yoruichi squeezed the shit out of her.

"What is your problem? I can't breathe, get off!" Yoruichi rolled off and started laughing.

"Oh that was nice."

"Are you wasted? Please tell me you aren't." Shinobu jumped to her feet and ducked behind Byakuya.

"Wasted? No way. But you keep getting in almost fatal situations. It's like on TV when something really suspenseful is about to happen, then they go to commercial break. One of these times I'm not going to be able to hug you again."

"And hopefully that's after the baby is born, so you can hug it."

"He's a he."

"Alright, so you can hug him." Yoruichi picked herself up.

"Anyway, are you sure you should be so... lively?"

"Probably not. Urahara's been chasing me down all day." she smiled, then remembered she still had his hat on. She laughed, then moved into the hall and waved the hat so Urahara could see. He flashed in front of her.

"She's in there?"

"Of course."

"Yoruichi!" Urahara called.

"Shinobu!" said noble whined.

"Yoruichi!" the noble's daughter responded.

"Urahara!" Yoruichi continued to whine.

"Kuchiki-san?" Shinobu stuck the hat on her dad's head.

"It's a little wet. Anyway, take Yoruichi."

"Will do. She found a caffeine tablet and thought it was pain reliever."

"Really?"

"Well it worked!" Urahara dragged her out of the room and Shinobu sighed.

"You have... a lively family."

"_Oh_ yeah. You haven't seen the worst of it. At least Urahara is acting like, well, a grown up. When both of them get bad you just gotta leave." he looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No, now I know it was something. Tell me."

"It was nothing."

"Tell me."

"Wondering what he's going to be like."

"Liar! But that is a good point. I think he'd be a bit like you. Ya know, kinda serious and mature and stuff."

"With Urahara and Yoruichi for parents?"

"They have their mature points!"

"Right."

"They do. Honestly. Did you see the scary, collected, calm, angry Yoruichi a few days ago?"

"A few?"

"Shush it."

"Nii-sama! Shihoin-dono!"

"Rukia?" and yet again, Shinobu was attacked with a hug.

"I can't breath Rukia!"

"I'm so happy you're okay!"

"Rukia! Let go!" Rukia let go, and Shinobu fell to the ground.

"Ow..."

"Nii-sama, glad to see you are okay too." Byakuya just looked at his adoptive sister with wide eyes. _He who usually doesn't show emotion, is showing his surprise a lot more._

"Hey, who's doing paperwork?"

"Renji. He's getting much better at it."

"There's only a few days left until November."

"Gah! I better go help him. Nii-sama, Shihoin-dono." the girl disappeared.

"She's never acted like that."

"Well, I just flipped your world upside down, didn't I? Anyway, you scare most people crapless, and abuse that power, no doubt, so it's no wonder you haven't seen her that way." he didn't respond and she sighed.

"Lighten up man. Anyway, what time is it?"

"Six."

"At night?"

"In the morning."

"Oh my god please tell me you got some sleep!" he didn't respond.

"Really? Okay." she took a deep breath and muttered, "You could have at least taken a nap." then said louder, "Why don't you go back to the Manor and sleep. Someone will wake you before the Elders need food." he nodded and flashed away. Sighing, she followed, but ended up in the kitchen.

"Shihoin-dono!" Yoshiro dropped the pan he had been holding, splattering hot grease and oil all over the kitchen.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow."

"Turn the sink on, dumb ass!" she cried whilst trying to get the burning oil off her skin. Yoshiro shook his head.

"It's all over me!"

"Then hold on!" she grabbed his hand and shunpoed to the beach at the river, and dropped him in, while continuing to hold onto his hand. She pulled him out.

"Better?"

"Much." she knelt down in the sand and wiped off her arms and doused her legs.

"God dammit. What the hell were you making?"

"Unagi..."

"Well, let's try again!" she grabbed him again and shunpoed back.

"How do you do that?"

"Soul Reaper trick. Anyway, ready to try again?" he nodded and they started again. When they finished, she looked at the clock.

"And now I know why you started so early. It's seven!"

"It is? We better get this food out then. Do you wanna, wash off your face?" he said, meaning the smeared batter on her face and flour in her hair from baking bread rolls. She shook her head.

"Alright." she grabbed two plates and he did too, then they headed out and she set hers down in front of Rukia and Byakuya. Then, running back, she grabbed two more, then set them down. Then she ran back and got the last two, as Yoshiro had set down four, and set them down.

"Please enjoy." Rukia motioned for her to come down near her, so Shinobu walked over and knelt down.

"Yeah?"

"You didn't need to help."

"Yes I did. You weren't here earlier when he dropped a pan with boiling oil and grease in it."

"Gosh. Anyway, thanks for helping."

"No problem. Least I can do, since you guys are letting me stay here. Anyway, I'm gonna go clean up and make myself something to eat. Catch you later." she stood back up and smiled at Byakuya, then headed back into the kitchen and cleaned up quickly, then headed back to her room. She looked at herself in the mirror, then sighed and changed clothes.

As she headed to the bathroom, she listened in on the relatively silent dining room. _And I thought it was quiet when I ate with them. Guess I really am louder than I thought. _She headed into the bathroom and washed her face and hair, then started back to her room. As she passed the dining room again, and elder called out to her and she stopped.

"Aren't you the Shihoin's daughter?" she looked at the old man.

"Yes."

"Then why aren't you eating with us? You are of nobility, aren't you?" she bit back her usual response. _Careful._

"Well, after making all that food today in the kitchen, I realized I hadn't made any for myself. And besides, I'm not especially hungry."

"You were the girl in here before? You're beautiful with your hair down." she turned red.

"Uh, thanks-"

"And this food is really wonderful."

"Kikuchi, stop it. You're going to make her turn bright red."

"I'm not lying or anything. Besides, it's too late now." the corners of her mouth twitched as she refused the urge to grin.

"Well, I think we've kept you long enough. Although, I may come around tomorrow and see if you can make me some breakfast, alright?" she nodded, not trusting herself to not burst out laughing. She bowed, then ran back to her room and started laughing hysterically. After a few minutes, she calmed down.

"Hey wait, Kikuchi? Move the second K to the end and you get Kiuchik. Then the first I and you get Kuchiki." she started laughing again.

"Okay. I really need to calm down." a knock came on her door and she jumped onto her bed and fixed her hair.

"Yellow?"

"Shihoin-dono?"

"Oh! Yoshiro!"

"I think we've got a problem."

"What?"

"Come out here to the dining room." she followed him out and peered around the corner. Rukia and Byakuya were silently freaking out, whilst the elders talked about how wonderful the food was, how wonderful she was, and how long it had been since they'd had food of such qualitiy.

"That girl, she really was beautiful."

"And exceptionally well mannered."

"And quite the cook! The Unagi is amazing. And a spicy too. I love it!"

"I wonder what her name is. Byakuya-sama, do you know?"

"Shihoin Shinobu..."

"Shinobu. Endurance."

"She must be an amazing Soul Reaper as well."

"Wasn't she wearing the uniform Yoruichi-sama used to wear? She surely must be as talented as her mother, then."

"I wonder who her father was?" Shinobu ducked behind the corner, and Yoshiro looked at her.

"See?"

"All I see is a bunch of formally silent, now very talkative old men."

"That's the problem. They're always very quiet, calm, composed, and just overall scary. And now they're behaving as if they'd just met someone made of gold."

"I am not made of gold. And I'd describe it more as in the perfect person, other than Byakuya-san. I'd say he'd be their role model of perfect."

"But Kuchiki-sama and Rukia-sama are freaking out."

"Well then, I can't go back in there. It'll only cause more of a problem. Alright, can you ex-"

"Where are you going, Byakuya-sama?"

"I'll be back." his footsteps sounded her way, and he came upon the two conversing. She turned red.

"Hi."

"That wasn't you."

"Obviously I know how to act. I didn't wanna bite their heads off."

"You have this effect on people. You just make them forget their duties and how they're supposed to act."

"Well sorry. Maybe you shouldn't let me near the Elders again."

"I'm gonna go back to the kitchen." Yoshiro fled and Shinobu looked at Byakuya.

"You do know that at least one of them is going to go bug Yoruichi tomorrow."

"She'll be fine. I'm worried about an impending topic."

"Huh?"

"Byakuya-sama? Are you coming back?" he looked at her again.

"Yes."

"Please try not to bring me up." she whispered. He nodded and turned around, then sat back down. She pressed her back against the wall.

"Where were you?" he didn't respond. _If I ever had to choice between ruling a household with fear or kindness, I think I'd choose kindness. This is obviously a fear environment, and it's more than a little intimidating. _

"Alright. Anyway," he paused. _Impending Topic Title,_ "I think Shihoin-sama would be quite the suitable wife." she held in a gasp and slid down into a sitting position. _Wife? _She could just hear Yoruichi's voice yelling at her. _You got yourself into this mess kid. I told you to always be your self and don't give anyone a false impression. But you did it anyway, and now you're stuck. Nobody can help you. _ She shrugged off her mother's voice and continued listening.

"I've told you not to meddle in my personal affairs."

"It was merely a suggestion! Anyway, she's well mannered, can cook, is a beauty, and has other traits we probably are yet to see. Any man would be lucky to have her." _And you're yet to realize you're in that 'lucky' man's presence._ She muttered mentally. The dinner table fell silent again. Not with boredom or even respect, but born purely of awkwardness between the other elders. Shinobu recollected herself and dashed back to her room, making sure her footsteps made no audible noise. Quickly, she tied her hair up with Byakuya's ribbon, and jumped out the window. She shunpoed to the Shihoin Manor and slid the door open.

"Shinobu?"

"Hi Yoruichi."

"Why are you here so late at night? I mean, I was just going to go get you, but-"

"I needed to get away for a bit."

"What's wrong?"

"Tell you later. Why were you coming to get me?"

"Because the people who are doing my dress wanted you to choose your kimono."

"Eh? Alright."

"This way, Shinobu-chan!" a young girl grabbed her wrist and dragged her away, then made her strip to the barest essentials.

"Is this necessary?"

"Very. Okay, now I'm thinking green. Like, a loose green kimono with golden details."

"I think that'd be fitting."

"Very. Agreed. We've got the material, no doubt, so why don't we just make it here."

"Uh..."

"Just stand completely still." they started, and Yoruichi came back in. She looked at Shinobu.

"Don't laugh at me."

"I won't. So why did you need to get away?"

"The Elders. Oh god. Okay, so I helped make dinner for them tonight, then helped serve it. After I cleaned up, I passed by the dining room again and they started complimenting me and stuff. Then I came back like, five minutes later, and they were all talking about me and how I was so wonderful and stuff. Then, Byakuya came to talk to me, then sat back down, and this freakin' tard Elder just says, 'I think Shihoin-sama would be quite the suitable wife.'" Yoruichi grinned.

"I'm guessing Byakuya-bo didn't react well."

"Of course not!"

"Wait, you two are talking about the Kuchiki family?"

"Yes..."

"If the Elders there said that you were wonderful, then you must really be angelic to them. If they offer you a marriage proposal, take it. Just a suggestion, but I'm serious," the kimono maker gushed, "that offer will never come again."

"I know. I was actually more surprised then scared. I just... I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"I think you and Byakuya-bo would make quite the couple. One, spastic, bright, happy girl, one calm, down to earth, indifferent boy. Complete opposites."

"Okay, now I think both you and I know that your description is totally off. Ouch!"

"Sorry. Your body is curvier than I'd anticipated. This'll be a tighter fitting kimono."

"Alright. OUCH."

"Sorry, that was me this time."

"Ow!"

"Okay that was just for kicks." Shinobu sighed and waited while the people made more comments on her figure, skin, colour, and other things. Hours later, they finally finished and pulled it off her.

"Thank god. I better go back before Byakuya or Rukia have _another _heart attack because I vanished on them." Yoruichi nodded, and Shinobu got dressed again, then shunpoed off. She slid her bedroom door open, then almost screamed.

"Why are you in my room?"

"You left."

"No duh! Did you expect me to sit there and listen the whole time? How long have you been in here?"

"You're bleeding." she looked at her arm.

"That? It's nothing."

"Why?"

"Because the kimono makers were at the Shihoin Manor and forced me to get a new kimono made. Then started pricking me for fun."

"The wedding is tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Anyway, you didn't answer my question!"

"A while."

"Don't you think someone might be worried that you're still up?"

"No."

"Alright..."

"About the Elders."

"Them? Th-"

"They were out of line. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Aren't they allowed to have dreams?" _Dreams? _She laughed internally, _No Elder has dreams. They just have what they want as reality. And, idealistic reality, I guess. _ Then she noticed the silence.

"Eh, so are you going to the wedding? Last time you answered with a question."

"Maybe."

"You really have to keep me guessing? Alright. Fine then. I'll just be in denial until the wedding." she sat down on the bed and sighed, then blinked.

"Oh my god. The wedding. It's a perfect target."

"You really never stop working."

"Not really. Anyway, no doubt more than a couple Captains will be there, since this is going to be big. But probably smaller than if you were to get married. _Anyway_," she continued, noticing his eerie silence, "Or maybe they won't attack because if they do anything too bad, others could panic."

"You're over thinking this."

"Huh?"

"It _is_ a good opportunity to get several of the Captains who are in good shape, but Sasake wouldn't. He's going to be plotting against you and me. Not the captains." she bit her lip.

"You're right. That means I shouldn't go."

"No. You need to go. Just be on guard. Take your Zanpakuto." she put a hand on her Zanpakuto.

"And get some sleep." she looked up from her feet.

"You being tired won't benefit anyone."

"Except Sasake." she muttered. He didn't respond.

"Sorry. Being pessimistic. I'll get some sleep." he left and shut the door behind him, leaving her to curl up under the covers and try to get some sleep.

Shinobu was jolted away by somebody touching her face. She sat up and resisted yelling at the woman in her room.

"Shinobu, you need to come to the Manor right now. They're getting ready and we need you."

"Who are you and what have you done with my mother?" she asked to the slightly paler, more feminine looking Yoruichi.

"She died and gave birth to me."

"Really? Because I thought she was having a boy."

"Maybe I'm a boy in disguise."

"Or a girl saying you're a boy disguised as a girl." Yoruichi grinned.

"Really though, we need to get going. And what is this from?" Yoruichi traced something down the side of her face. Shinobu smacked her hand away, then felt the long cut.

"Dunno. Maybe I scratched myself? Maybe it's from being thrown into a wall before falling completely unconscious?"

"You got thrown into a wall?"

"Uh yeah. Can you keep your voice down? What time is it?"

"No, I cannot. And it's seven in the morning."

"God. I got like, five hours of sleep. Alright, let's go." Yoruichi shunpoed away and Shinobu followed.

"Anyway, why do you have your make up on, but not your clothes?"

"Because they've got to put make up on first, always. Anyway, is Byakuya-bo coming?"

"He won't tell me. I asked last night and he just said maybe."

"And I thought for sure that he would actually tell someone he was close to."

"Well, you thought wrong."

"And you just admitted you were close to him."

"I did? I didn't. I did!"

"You are such a weird child."

"You are such a weird parent."

"Good try."

"I think it was better than yours. See, I came from you, so it's _your_ fault." Yoruichi sighed as they came to a halt in the Manor.

"SHINOBU-CHAN!"

"Who the hell is this lively in the morning?" the girl from yesterday dragged her back into the room and thrust her kimono onto her.

"Uh hey."

"Yes?"

"I need to keep my Zanpakuto."

"But it makes you look less pretty."

"I don't care. We've got problems, I need my sword."

"You don't think Sasake would attack today, do you?"

"I do. He pissed at me and Byakuya, because his girlfriend killed herself."

"You two talk about the weirdest things..." the girl commented.

"That's who we are. OW."

"Sorry!"

"You pinched me!"

"I said sorry." the girl backed off and Shinobu slid her Zanpakuto through the obi.

"I think she won't need makeup. She really pretty naturally, and we don't want her looking better than the bride."

"Too late for that." Yoruichi muttered. Shinobu laughed.

"And leave her hair down too."

"Yes."

"Yoruichi, I've got a question now." she said, remembering now why she was here earlier.

"Huh?"

"Are the Elders coming?"

"Shihoin and Kuchiki."

"SHIT. God dammit could you have told me yesterday when I was complaining about them?"

"I didn't want to make you feel worse."

"Too late for that!" she sighed and the people handed her sandals.

"Thanks. Hey, Yoruichi can't see Urahara right? Bad luck?"

"Correct..." Yoruichi said.

"Then, I'm going to go see him." she grinned and ran out of the room, towards his Spiritual Pressure. She knocked on the door.

"Come in!" he sang. She sighed.

"You are the weirdest dad on the face of the earth. I feel so bad for that unfortunate little boy." she slid the door open and gaped at him. He wore a black and green kimono, and looked, very dressy, to say the least.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

"No. You just... look grownup." he laughed.

"So do you."

"Shut it."

"Well you do. OW." Shinobu laughed.

"They did that to me too. Don't worry, you'll stop feeling it."

"Hm. So, have you seen Yoruichi?"

"Have _you_?"

"No, that's why I'm asking."

"Then, yes, I have. I was talking to her."

"What's she look like?"

"Pretty enough to be a suitable wife for the King."

"Aww... Now I feel bad that I took the King's wife."

"Well, you're one hell of a king then." he grinned.

"I feel at a loss without my fan though." he whined. Shinobu grabbed said fan off the dresser and tossed it to him. He opened it up and continued grinning.

"Now that looks more normal. But the fan is _mine _during the ceremony."

"Aw..."

"Whatever, you weirdo." she grinned.

"SHINOBU!"

"And that's my calling. See ya." she slid back out and closed the door. Yoruichi stepped out of the room and she gasped.

"Holy shit." her mother was clad in a pure white dress with gold trim.

"And where has this mother been my whole life?"

"Hiding from your father."

"That's a good point."

"I heard that!"

"No you didn't! You're imagining things!" Shinobu responded, hitting the door behind her.

"You made me drop my fan, Shinobu-chan!"

"Too bad. Bend down and get it."

"You're such an ungrateful child."

"No, I just know how to treat you. So where to, Yoruichi-sama?" Yoruichi smiled.

"Well, the invitations we sent out said the wedding was at noon. We should probably have a run through with a stunt double."

"I can be that double." she offered.

"Alright. To the place!" Yoruichi dragged her daughter out to a carriage and they both sat down inside.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you Omeada's demand."

"Oh?"

"A twentieth of the fortune."

"He could've asked for more."

"He's an idiot."

"Hya!" the carriage jerked to a start and they were off. Shinobu watched out the window as she realized that they were heading to Kuchiki territory.

"Uh..."

"It's the faster route from our Manor. Byakuya-bo agreed to let us pass."

"And how close will we be to the Manor?"

"Very." Shinobu kept watching as they neared the Manor. Rukia stepped outside, followed by Byakuya.

"Shihoin-dono?" she grinned and waved, then Yoruichi smacked her.

"What?"

"The feminine you is scaring poor Rukia."

"That's her fault." she sat back.

"I wonder what Byakuya-bo is going to say if he comes to the wedding."

"He'll act the same as he always does in public."

"In _public._ Are you saying he has an alternate personality?"

"Completely. But he's great at hiding his anger in public. I'll give him that."

"It's not when he's in private. It's when he's with you."

"Huh?"

"Okay. I may not be the best on relationships, but even an idiot can tell you two have some kind of connection. One of you is always following the other. It's rare to see you apart like this."

"And your point is?"

"Whatever. You'll never admit there's a connection."

"Yeah, I don't have an answer to that." they sat in silence until they arrived, then both got out and walked through the maple trees and into the outdoor chapel.


	9. Chapter 9

"Holy shit." the chapel was surrounded by white walls, but no roof. There was seven rows of seating, ten people per row section. There were two sections with an aisle down the middle, leading up to a marble alter underneath a permanent gazebo, a stone roof held up by white marble pillars.

"Good god this place must have cost a fortune!"

"Wasn't too expensive. The Shihoin Elders would have no less." Shinobu walked up to the gazebo and stood underneath.

"This is amazing! Unbelievable!" she smiled.

"Though it's a bit whiter than I thought you'd do."

"White is in style, apparently."

"Apparently." she sat down on the floor of the gazebo, which was also marble, and looked up at the painting on the roof. It pictured the view from the gazebo out into the entrance, lined by maple trees. She grinned at the picture.

"For some odd reason, this really fits you."

"That's what Urahara said too. Anyway, get up off the ground!"

"Fine." she picked herself up, then looked at the entrance.

"Soifon?" Yoruichi turned around.

"Soifon!" the mentor hugged her former apprentice.

"I can't believe you came!"

"Yoruichi-sama, you look... lovely." Shinobu burst out laughing.

"Okay, now we all know that her getting married to Urahara freaks you out, so don't act like you're happy."

"I came to-"

"Threaten?"

"Talk to him. Where is he?"

"He should be here in a couple hours. Until then, why don't you explore the area?" Yoruichi suggested.

"I've got to practice."

"Yes, Yoruichi-sama." Soifon, in a dress, shunpoed away to scout the area.

"She takes this way too seriously."

"I know. Anyway, you need to stand up here by the alter." Shinobu stood facing the wall, then turned her head to the entrance.

"Yes, like that." the lady Shihoin ran back to the entrance, and practiced walking up the aisle, smiling. As soon as she got to the alter and took Shinobu's hands, both burst out in a laughing fit.

"Urahara won't be able to keep serious the whole time. It's just not him." Shinobu sighed after she was done laughing.

"You seriously underestimate your father."

"Oh?"

"He can be serious when he chooses to be."

"Right. I totally believe that." Shinobu stepped out from under the gazebo and looked at the sky.

"It's about eleven."

"People should start coming, then."

"And that means nobody can see you." Yoruichi ran out of the area and around the back, just as the first couple arrived.

"Nanao-chan! Kyoraku!"

"Ah, Shinobu-chan! You look lovely today. Where is your mother?"

"Hiding."

"Ah. Well, then. Being the first here pays off sometimes. We'll get the best se-"

"Elders get the first row in each group."

"Damn it."

"Anyway, are you going to sit on the bride or groom's side?"

"That's a tough one. I think Nanao-chan would rather sit on the bride's."

"Because I think Urahara-sama has a complete lack of respect for any and everyone."

"So sit on this side, for god's sake." they did, and three more couples arrived, causing Shinobu to sigh.

"Seven rows, ten in each. Are they expecting fourteen hundred people?" little did she know, they were expecting more than that. Quarter to noon, all the seats were filled up, and people had to start standing.

"Who is the best man?" she muttered. Seconds later, Tessai approached her, and she shrieked. Luckily, it was too loud for anyone to hear.

"I am the best man."

"WOW." she sighed, then leaned against the pillar behind her as Urahara entered.

"And here comes the groom." everyone watched him walk up, and he took his fan out to hide his smile.

"That's mine now." she snatched it out of his hand.

"Aw... but the ceremony hasn't started."

"You need to hold up an appearance." she closed the fan and hit him on the head with it.

"Urahara!" Soifon appeared next to him and Shinobu took a step back.

"Soifon! Nice to see you looking so lovely."

"Don't try to deter me! I swear, if you ever do anything short of dying to make Yoruichi-sama unhappy, I will personally kill you."

"And now really isn't the time, Soifon." Shinobu pushed the petite woman away from her father.

"Of course." then she disappeared.

"That was a brief episode." Shinobu muttered.

"You're telling me?" the priest joined them and Shinobu returned to her pillar spot, as did Tessai.

"It's noon." Urahara whispered. All chatter died down to utter silence as Yoruichi stood in the entrance. Everybody stood up and clapped as she passed by. Shinobu, the only person still watching the entrance, watched Byakuya and Rukia slip inside. She grinned, then turned her attention back to her mother, who had reached the gazebo and taken Urahara's hands. Luckily, this time, she felt no urge to laugh. And so the ceremony proceeded, Shinobu only vaguely paying attention, until the priest started on the vows.

"I, Yoruichi, take you, Urahara to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. I, Yoruichi, take you, Urahara, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." she slipped the ring on Urahara's finger.

"I, Urahara, take you, Yoruichi, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. I, Urahara, take you, Yoruichi, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part." he slipped the ring on her finger.

"You may kiss the bride." Urahara actually managed to beat the priest, causing too many people to sigh. _This is like, so sickly sweet. It's the typical wedding. Couldn't they have done something stranger? Like, have a pinata? _

"I pronounce you husband and wife." they grinned and kissed again, then headed down the aisle. Even though she was unhappy with this very traditional Christian wedding, she still had to smile while she followed them down the aisle, then glared at Rukia who was grinned and holding in a laugh. Urahara and Yoruichi got in the carriage Yoruichi had come in, and Shinobu leaned against the wall, as people headed to the reception. Of course, Rukia and Byakuya were the last out.

"Shihoin-dono!" Rukia again, hugged Shinobu, squeezing the life out of her.

"Let go, please." she gripped the wall to keep from falling this time as Rukia let go.

"You're so beautiful! And this place is amazing! It must've cost a fortune."

"'It wasn't too expensive.'" Shinobu quoted Yoruichi.

"But it must've cost a lot."

"I'm not sure. And I actually thought you guys weren't coming."

"I never said we weren't."

"But you never said you were."

"Anyway, do you have a ride?" Rukia prompted.

"The happy couple just took mine. But I can just shunpo there."

"Then I'll shunpo too."

"No you won't, Rukia. You still have a good reputation, unlike me."

"But you can't go alone!"

"I'll be fine."

"Nii-sama!" _She's like a little kid whining to get what she wants. _

"I'll go."

"Then I bet I can beat you." she teased playfully. He disappeared.

"Not fair!" she started after him, quickly catching up.

"That was completely unfair!" a smile hinted at his lips.

"You little cheat! Now I really am going to have to beat you."

"Wait." she stopped moving and so did he.

"What?"

"Bakudo Nine, Horin." the orange tendril wrapped around her and pulled her back to Sasake.

"And I thought I would be fine for the day." she muttered.

"Hardly. I just have the dignity to not crash a wedding."

"And what is Yoruichi going to think when I don't show?"

"She's got an imagination." he held her against him as Byakuya neared.

"This is why Rukia would have been a bad idea." he muttered.

"Instead of me killing you, why don't I just take you for myself?" Sasake whispered in her ear.

"I would bite you."

"Feisty." he kissed her neck and she elbowed him.

"Sorry, I don't date creepers. Plus, I'm kind of taken. And I wasn't kidding when I said I'd bite you."

"Let her go."

"Now for some reason, I remember you saying that before, and I didn't listen."

"Then maybe you need to go back to preschool." she clicked Mizutateru out of it's sheath.

"Ripples Spread Across Still Water, Mizutateru." and amazingly, she managed to stab it into the ground with her arms bound to her sides. As the void spread, Byakuya stepped just inside the edge. She brought the water up and had it break the kido surrounding her, then shunpoed towards Byakuya.

"How'd you get free again?"

"Same way as last time. Tell your mother that the Stealth Force needs better training."

"I might just do that." Byakuya put an arm out to keep her from attacking him.

"What does your shikai do?"

"Well, it lets _me _control the water in here, but if I lose concentration, we'll all fall into the water."

"Then let me fight."

"Fine." she took a step back, then Byakuya drew Senbonzakura and shunpoed in front of Sasake, clashing swords.

"You're talking strategy? Or you just don't wanna get wet?" Byakuya pushed the man back into the wall, and Sasake found out the hard way that the wall isn't fun. He arched his back as electricity shot through him. He fell to the ground, then glared at Shinobu, who just watched.

"That's a nasty trick."

"And you don't think sneak attacks are nasty?" he got back up to his feet and started towards her, but Byakuya appeared in front of him.

"Leave her out of this." Sasake jumped back and grinned.

"Don't want your girlfriend gettin' hurt?"

"Tired of her getting hurt." Byakuya slashed at Sasake, who narrowly dodged, then recoiled and sliced at the noble, who had no trouble dodging. After a few minutes of slashing and blocking, Sasake held his own.

"Now I'm outta time. Gotta run." he kicked her sword out of the ground, then shunpoed away as the void disappeared. Byakuya sheathed Senbonzakura and turned around.

"Are you okay?"

"Um, I should be asking you that." she grabbed Mizutateru and sheathed it.

"How long has it been?"

"Ten minutes, maybe. They're probably wondering where we are." he nodded and shunpoed off, her trailing. They stopped outside, and she ran her fingers through her hair to straighten it.

"_Are _you okay?" she asked, hand on the door.

"I'm fine." she nodded and pulled the door open, letting him through. Once she stepped inside, all eyes turned to the door and she turned red.

"Uh..."

"Shinobu! Come over here already! I never thought it would take you forever to get here." she looked at Yoruichi, then walked up and took her seat next to the bride.

"It's your fault for leaving me behind."

"That was an accident. And you still got here, and with Byakuya-bo, I might add."

"Is that supposed to mean something?"

"Nope. Now-"

"I want to do a speech!" she looked at Kyoraku.

"Not sure that's the best idea," she whispered to Yoruichi.

"How bad can it be? Come on, Kyoraku." the older captain jumped out of his seat and ran up to the microphone.

"Well, first things first, congrats! I hope you guys are happy forever. Now, I remember when Shinobu-chan was born," she made a face, "and well, that was a good time. So I'm gonna hope that this next kid will be even better. I also remember when Yoruichi-chan brought Shinobu-chan into the Squads."

"You did what now?" she hissed at her mother. Yoruichi just grinned.

"And Ginrei was supposed to be watching her, but she managed to get away and was running around for hours. Yoruichi and Ginrei finally found her following Byakuya-kun around." Shinobu made another face and looked at Yoruichi.

"Please tell me this isn't true."

"Oh, it's very true."

"Of course, Byakuya was only, six at the time, so he really didn't care. Then there was another time when Shinobu wandered into the Research Division." Shinobu covered her face and put her head on the table.

"She started bugging Kurotsuchi, who threatened to turn her into a bat if she didn't leave him alone."

"He did what?" Yoruichi looked at Urahara, who grinned sheepishly.

"Anyway, so she left and came to my squad, where Lisa found her and put her in a card board box for three hours."

"Yoruichi, I can't listen to this. Can we please get someone else up here?"

"Yes. Kyoraku-"

"I'm almost done! Anyway, I wish all four of you happy lives." he sat back down and Shinobu looked up, noticing many people in the audience laughing quietly. Turning even redder, she put her head back down.

"I hate that old geezer so much." and so the hour went, many more embarrassing stories of Yoruichi, Urahara, and Shinobu being told. An hour later, Yoruichi stood up.

"Alright. I think it's time for throwing the bouquet." a very large group of women gathered on the floor.

"Shinobu, if you don't go out there, I'm going to tell another story about you." Urahara threatened.

"Okay I'm going!" she got up and slid out into the middle where she was invisible to everyone not up on their feet. Yoruichi faced the wall, then threw the bouquet over her head, and said bouquet landed square in Shinobu's crossed arms.

"Okay, now that was pure luck." Rangiku grinned next to her.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Well, you can't give it away,"

"Hey! Who got it?" Rangiku pushed her out of the crowd and she turned red.

"It was an accident. I was actually trying to not get it."

"And you still got it? I mean, when you try to not get it, you never get it. So somebody seriously wants to marry you or something." Shinobu turned redder, and Yoruichi pushed her back to her seat, where Urahara scooted over.

"So, if somebody wants to marry you, you should know, right?"

"What are you saying?"

"I wanna know who. After all, you are my daughter."

"How am I supposed to know? Actually, even if I do know, I'm not telling you. I'd sooner tell Rangiku."

"That hurt, Shinobu."

"Stung like a bee sting." she grinned and he put an arm around her shoulders.

"So Shinobu caught the bouquet? Who knew?"

"CAKE TIME!" someone cried.

"Alright. Let's cut the cake. Kisuke?" he let go of Shinobu and shot to Yoruichi's side. While they cut the cake, Shinobu looked at the bouquet, finding a navy blue flower in the group of red and white roses. She picked it out and held it up.

"Ah!" she looked at Yoruichi who threw a part of her cake at Urahara and hit him in the eye.

"Ouch." father and mother, husband and wife, started laughing.

"Alright, while I go wash off, everybody come get some cake!" the longest line Shinobu ever saw formed for the cake. She got up to go help Yoruichi wash off, leaving the navy flower on the table, and the bouquet on the seat. As soon as she entered the bathroom, she laughed.

"Yoruichi, this is pathetic." said person laughed as she smeared icing on her face.

"Let's wash your whole face off. In return, please let me change."

"I brought you clothes."

"Good." Shinobu grabbed a paper towel and started washing off Yoruichi's face. Upon finishing, Yoruichi threw a bag at her.

"Go change."

"Yes!" she stepped into a stall and pulled off her kimono, then changed into the clothes Yoruichi brought, consisting of a small, green tube top with one strap, blue skinny jeans, and black flats.

"Now why does she have these?"

"Because sometimes I need to blend in."

"That's great." she stuffed her kimono in the bag and zipped it up.

"Alright. Can you braid my hair back actually? It'll look like crap if I put it up normally."

"Alright." Yoruichi started on braiding her hair, then tied it with a ribbon.

"There. Now let's go. They're probably wondering where we are." Shinobu nodded and followed her mother outside.

"Is that the same girl from earlier?"

"Yeah! She looks even better now."

"You're such a perv!"

"Not for that reason. She just looks prettier."

"I know what you mean." that sat back down, and the first thing she noticed, was that the navy flower was gone.

"Now who took my flower?"

"The navy one?"

"Yeah. I pulled it out."

"I was going to tell whoever got the bouquet to give the navy one to their man of choice, but I guess whoever yours was just took it."

"I have a feeling I know someone who'll know." she looked at Urahara.

"What? I may have seen him, but I can't tell you! It was during the cake line."

"And oh hm... someone is missing right now." she scanned the crowd.

"Alright, I'll be back." she slipped away again and slid through the front doors.

"And I knew it was you." Byakuya looked up, holding the flower in one hand.

"He didn't tell you."

"Of course not. I think I know you the best, so it wasn't hard. So have you tried the cake?" he shook his head.

"Damn. I was gonna ask how it tasted."

"Probably good."

"Probably? That's like, a second. Everything with you is yes or no. Never a maybe, or a possibly. Are you ever unsure?"

"Always."

"And said without a thought." she leaned against the wall next to him.

"Yoruichi must have thrown it _at_ you."

"Huh?"

"Just like she said. When you try, you get what you want."

"And I definitely wasn't trying."

"Which means she must've been."

"Oh?"

"My favorite colour is navy blue." she blinked.

"Oh. God she is so annoying sometimes."

"I wouldn't say annoying." he handed her the flower, and she twirled it in her fingers for a second.

"Yoruichi said that she was going to tell whoever got the bouquet to give the navy flower to the man of their choice." she grinned.

"Yeah. I guess she was trying. She always gets what she wants. Unless it concerns me. Usually it turns out the opposite, but maybe this time it'll work out." she pushed off the wall and faced him.

"Want a flower with a meaning?" she held it out and he shook his head.

"I don't want _a _flower. I want _mine._" he grabbed her hand and pulled her into him.

"I love you. I never want to let you go." she smiled.

"Glad to see the feeling is mutual." he slipped something onto her finger and she pulled back to look at the small diamond ring. Her smile grew, and she looked up.

"Of course." she placed a hand on the back of his neck and kissed him, then pushed back.

"Was there any doubt?"

"A little."

"I think that counts as two and a half." he smiled.

"We should get back inside."

"Right." she dropped down.

"Oh, and here. This is _your _flower. It was only going to be yours." she stuck the flower in his hand, then ran back inside.

"Is there any cake left?" the person nearest her jumped.

"Yes!"

"Great. I haven't had any."

"But the only part left is for Shihoin family."

"Well, I guess then it's specially for me." the person actually turned around to watch her go.

"OH." she grabbed a piece, then jogged back to her seat.

"That took a while. Did you get your flower back?" Yoruichi looked at her.

"Nah. I let him keep it."

"Oh? So who it was it?"

"I think you know perfectly well, you evil little butt munch!"

"Well, I never know. Someone else might've stolen it."

"No, I think you were making sure I was in there long enough."

"Of course I was. Because I'm evil like that."

"You are unbelievable! You even admitted."

"I did? I did. I did!"

"Why do both of you do that?" Urahara commented.

"It's a family thing. Anyway, so do I call you Urahara still?"

"Well, I'm a Shihoin now, but why can't you just call me Dad? It would make me so happy!"

"Alright Dad. Oh, here's your fan." she handed him his precious fan, and he gasped, then opened it up and grinned slyly behind it.

"You're in cahoots? Good lord. Can I get some new parents? Maybe I'll ask an Elder or something."

"How can you be so cruel, Shinobu-chan?" Kisuke lowered his fan, tears streaming down his face.

"How can you be so weird?"

"Because I'm good like that!" tears stopped, he brightened up.

"Unbelievable." she looked at her cake, then took a bite.

"Oh my god this is amazing! It's like, chocolate and vanilla at the same time!" she looked at her parents.

"Okay, did the caterer describe you two as chocolate and vanilla."

"Of course."

"That's sad." she took another bite.

"Jesus, have either of you actually had any of this? Go get a piece!"

"Alright, alright!" Yoruichi and Kisuke got up and got pieces, then Yoruichi moved to the microphone before starting on her piece.

"Alright. I guess you can leave whenever you want, but we're staying until everyone leaves. So please, don't stay too long." some people started laughing.

"Can't wait to get home?"

"Exactly." Yoruichi grinned, then sat back down to start and finish her cake.

"Eh, Yoruichi-sama." Shinobu looked up to find all twenty Elders in front of her.

"We're leaving. Shihoin-dono, we look forward to seeing you at the Manor tonight." the Kuchiki Elders said.

"And maybe getting a midnight snack." someone added. Half the group departed.

"And we will take our leave as well. Shinobu-sama, please return to the Manor some time."

"You guys kind of killed my room, smart ones. That's one reason I'm not there." they turned red and left.

"Good job." Shinobu took another bite, and Yoruichi grabbed her left wrist.

"What's that shiny thing on your finger?"

"A ring."

"What kind of ring?"

"What does it look like you nosy bum?"

"I didn't think he'd actually ask."

"And of course you know who, because you probably have spies everywhere."

"No. I just have a woman's intuition."

"Is that what you call it? I'd just call it being nosy."

"You're such a party pooper. Can I see it?"

"No."

"Let me see it."

"No!" Shinobu tried to pull out of Yoruichi grip, who was trying to pull Shinobu's hand closer. The two struggled until Shinobu pulled back hard, knocking both chairs back and bringing both women to the ground.

"Yoruichi-sama!" several people cried.

"Could you please get off of me? It's none of your business!"

"It's completely my business!"

"Just get off!" Shinobu wormed out and climbed to her feet, then started moving away. Yoruichi got up and Shinobu shunpoed to the other side of the room, then just all around, Yoruichi following until she managed to get through the doors. Panting outside, she clutched her knees and bent over so she could breathe.

"She really is fast. And that was only teasing." she sighed and leaned against the wall, twisting the ring around her finger.

"Oh, so she's engaged now, is she?" she looked to her left.

"Yamasaki,"

"Glad you recognized me. What unfortunate man's name are you going to smear through the mud?"

"He'd be pissed if he heard you say that."

"So who is he?" the old man stood in front of her and crossed his arms.

"I seem to remember throwing you in a river. How did that go for you?"

"It was fine, actually. I washed up in a lake."

"Damn. I was hoping you'd drown."

"You're not that lucky." he grabbed her left hand and she punched his jaw with her right, knocking him back.

"Don't touch me." he clutched his jaw, frowning at her.

"You punched me."

"I'd have already knocked you back into the river if we were on our property." his frown turned into a grimace, and he pushed her shoulder back into the wall and elbowed her hard in the stomach, then took her hand again and pulled the ring off to look at it.

"This is... Kuchiki-sama?" he slipped it back on her finger and she slid to the ground.

"I guess you chose the wrong man," the elderly, annoying, Yamasaki walked away while Shinobu tried to get over the pain in her gut. The doors next to her opened and Rukia stepped out.

"Shihoin-dono!"

"I'm fine." she lied.

"What happened?"

"A retarded turd named Yamasaki happened." she clutched her stomach.

"What did he do?"

"Elbowed me in the stomach, hard. I'll be fine, go back inside."

"Are you sure you're alright? You're pretty pale."

"It's fine."

"Alright." Rukia headed back inside.

"It's gonna bruise. Really fast. Maybe I'll go get another change of clothes." she stood up, clenching her teeth, and shunpoed back to the Shihoin Manor, then rooted through Yoruichi's drawers until she found a cami.

"Good." she pulled off the green top and pulled on the golden cami, then shunpoed back. She slipped inside the door, then back into her seat, keeping her hand away from Yoruichi.

"You changed clothes?"

"Eh, Yamasaki elbowed me in the stomach and it's gonna be a freakin' big bruise."

"Yamasaki?"

"Yeah. He probably came by to annoy you or me, but only got me."

"What did he do?"

"Eh. The same old stuff. First thing he said was, 'Oh, she's engaged now, is she?' Because he's just a lovely person like that. He tried to take my ring, so I punched him, and he smashed my shoulder and elbowed me, then took it off to look at it."

"I swear, I'm going to throw him in the river."

"I tried that. Didn't work, he just washed up." Yoruichi grimaced.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." she grinned, "Besides, it's your day. Don't worry about me."

"I actually just want to get home. I'm tired."

"Yeah, well, unless everybody decides to leave, it'll be a while.

"Yoruichi-sama." they looked at Soifon.

"I have to get back to my work. I wish you happiness." Soifon bowed, then disappeared. As if suddenly realizing they had jobs, most of the people left got up and formed a line to say goodbye. Shinobu laughed.

"And this was so fun they forgot they had jobs. Oh god, I've got a job too, don't I? Damn it! See ya, Mom." she jogged down to Rukia.

"Are you guys eating at the manor again?"

"I am."

"Then I guess I'll make you some food, maybe."

"Where are you going?"

"I have a job too, as most people do. See ya." she saluted the duo, then shunpoed back to Shihoin property to think.

"Kyoraku got out of the Infirmary. I think I'll just track down Sasake." she shunpoed to the Seventh Division.

"Hey, is there like, a bulletin or something?" she asked the person nearest her.

"Newspaper."

"Is it free?"

"No."

"Damn it. Okay. Where can I get one?"

"Blue box." she spun around, then placed a hundred eight yen in the deposit, and grabbed the newspaper.

"What did he say it was called? We've only been calling it the group..."

"_Tell Yoruichi-sama that the group's under as Take RPG."_

"That's a stupid name." she skimmed the paper until she found the add for tonight.

"The clearing in the woods at three. Hm." she folded up the newspaper, then shunpoed to the clearing where she'd found Sasake before. She crouched in a tree and peered down into the clearing. A group of men and women sat in the clearing on the ground, listening to someone she couldn't see.

"Are we going to take this shit anymore?"

"No!"

"Are we going to let the Captains think they're all high and mighty?"

"NO!"

"And what are we going to do when we take over?" someone raised a hand.

"Put them in jail?"

"Yeah!"

"And who are we going to get first?"

"Kuchiki!" she moved farther down the branch and laid down to see who was speaking, but still couldn't see. She pulled herself back on onto her feet.

"Just say something to give you away..."

"For Ai, my sister. For Sasake, my best friend." She gasped. _Sasake isn't the fuckin' leader? _

"And our little guest in the tree back there. Wanna come out?" _I need to see who it is. _She dropped down and peered at the man, then shunpoed away quickly to Squad Ten.

"Rangiku, I need something to draw with, and on!"

"Got it." she dashed into Rangiku's room and took the pencil, then started sketching.

"What are you drawing?"

"Someone."

"Someone? Is it the guy you like?"

"No way. He's part of the reason I came here."

"To my room?"

"Soul Society." she finished and leaned back.

"Who's that?"

"I don't know his name."

"And what is this?" Rangiku grabbed her left hand and she sighed.

"This is completely inevitable, isn't it?"

"Yes. What is this?"

"MATSUMOTO!"

"Sorry! Answer me!" she hissed.

"Figure it out yourself."

"You said he was caring, overprotective, and has a short tempter, sometimes. I know him."

"And you said that was the exact opposite of Byakuya."

"You say his name with such informality- OH! It's Kuchiki-san!"

"MATSUMOTO!"

"I said sorry already! You're _engaged _to Captain Kuchiki?"

"Maybe. Maybe it's just a diamond ring I picked up at the flea market."

"Really? I can't believe you're going to get married to Captain Kuchiki. He's like, on the top of the eligible bachelors list. Oh! We have to update that now."

"Rangiku, are you done? Have you seen this man before?" she looked at the picture.

"I think so. I think he's in Squad... he's in our Squad!"

"Does he have a name?"

"Watanabe. Taiki Watanabe."

"We are damn lucky. Have you ever gone drinking with him?"

"A lot of times."

"Great. Does he like you?"

"Of course."

"Alright. Uh, I'm gonna pay him a visit. I'm going to tell him that you wanted to see him, then we need to trap him in here."

"WHY?"

"I need to question him. Did any captains tell you about the 'Group'?"

"Yeah. It's like this big thing. Those people trying to kill the Captains?"

"Yeah. Well I think he's a leader or something."

"Oh! Alright. He's four doors to the left."

"Alright." she slipped out and moved four doors down to the left, then knocked.


	10. Chapter 10

"What do you want?"

"Is this Taiki-sama's room?" she put on her most innocent voice. He opened the door, then threw a punch at her. _Gotta let it hit. _He hit her in the nose and she fell backwards.

"What was that for? I was coming to get your for Rangiku-chan."

"Oh! You looked like someone I'd seen earlier. Actually, you look exactly like her..." he pulled her up to her feet, and she wiped off the blood streaming from her nose.

"This is the second time I've had a nose bleed in like, a month, damn it."

"You shouldn't cuss. It doesn't fit your personality." she laughed.

"Right." she walked down to Rangiku's room and opened the door for him.

"Taiki!" she slammed the door shut and he spun around.

"Shinobu, why are you bleeding."

"He punched me."

"And you didn't dodge?"

"Nah. Had to keep a facade."

"You are the girl from earlier."

"You're an idiot." Rangiku threw her a wet towel and she held her nose. His face turned red and he held a fist up.

"Let me outa here."

"If you don't sit down, I'm going to return your favour ten fold." being a brainless idiot, he ran at her and she dropped the towel and kicked out with her foot, landing square in his side, then kicked him into the floor with her other foot.

"Good job." she nodded and grabbed the towel and wiped off the last of the blood.

"Okay, answer some questions."

"I don't have to answer nuttin'."

"You really wanna start with me? I could beat the shit out of you with one hand."

"Now it fits your personality. And what's a pretty girl like you doing on their side? Why not be with us? You'd get more respect."

"Okay, do you even know who I am?"

"A pretty girl with a bloody nose."

"I doubt Ai would agree with you. Or Sasake."

"Wait. You're the girl Sasake is always talking about?"

"Depends. What's her name?"

"Shinobu Shihoin."

"And did you miss my name earlier? Whatever. You're stupid. I _am _Shinobu Shihoin. Now, you will answer some questions."

"I'm not answering shit!"

"Then I'll go get permission to stick you in a prison cell for a week without food or light." he looked at her.

"Bite me."

"I will. Trust me. I will most definitely bite you."

"She will. She's bitten me before."

"So you're the real leader of the group?"

"I'm not telling you." she sat on his chest and kept her hand under his jaw.

"Are you the real leader?"

"Yes."

"Who are you attacking next?" he didn't respond. She sighed and smashed his head into the floor, knocking him out.

"Can you get him put in a cell?"

"Yeah." Shinobu shunpoed away to the Kuchiki Manor.

"Eh, Yoshiro?"

"Shihoin-dono!" he launched at her, knocking her to the floor. Her head bounced, and he pushed himself up.

"EHHHHH!"

"I'm fine. GET OFF ME!" he started to, then paused, noticing the ring on her finger.

"What's that?" he grabbed her hand, landing on top of her again. She groaned.

"Please get off me..." he rolled off and pulled the ring off her finger.

"This is a white gold diamond ring. You're engaged?" she snatched it back and slipped it onto her finger.

"I'm going to glue this onto my finger." she muttered.

"Who are you engaged to?"

"Take a guess!"

"Lord Kuchiki?"

"CAN I HAVE MY HAND BACK?" he let go and she stood up.

"Did I guess right?"

"Actually, I'm looking for Byakuya. Do you know where he is?"

"You're not going to answer me, are you?"

"Nope. Where is he?"

"Having a meeting with the Elders."

"I've got a good feeling about what." she muttered.

"Where are they?"

"The meeting room. DID I GUESS RIGHT?"

"I am not going to answer you!"

"ANSWER ME!"

"Stop yelling!"

"You're yelling too!"

"So?"

"So you stop yelling!"

"What are you two doing?" she looked at Byakuya.

"He's being a bug. Anyway, I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"SHINOBU-SAMA!" she looked behind him as an elderly man launched himself at her, hitting her square in the stomach and throwing her into the door. She winced.

"Kikuchi."

"I'm so happy you're going to be in our family..." she looked at Kikuchi, who had tears streaming down his face.

"EH? Why are you crying?"

"Kikuchi, get off her." the old man regained his posture instantly.

"Yes, Byakuya-sama." he walked away and she watched him go.

"I was right!" Yoshiro ran away, laughing in victory, while Shinobu picked herself up.

"He hit my bruise..." she muttered, leaving a hand on her stomach.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yeah. I found the leader."

"Which Squad?"

"Ten. He was Ai's brother."

"Is your nose bleeding?"

"Not again." she wiped off under her nose then looked at her finger.

"Damn."

"Why?"

"He punched me in the nose." Byakuya sighed. She grinned, and someone slid up next to her, holding a tissue box.

"Uh... thanks?" she grabbed two and held them under her nose. The person slid away.

"Is this going to be a regular thing?"

"They'll calm down."

"Hopefully." he nodded. She pulled the tissue away, then wiped off the blood.

"I hope that stops this time." she muttered.

"Does Rangiku know?" Shinobu nodded glumly.

"Then everyone will know soon."

"Yeah." she looked at her feet.

"Sorry." he lifted her chin up so she had to actually look at him.

"For what?"

"She just kind of figured it out." he lightly kissed her.

"It doesn't matter." she sighed. A clicking sound reached her ears and she paused.

"Did you hear that?" he didn't respond, as he was looking around. She opened the front door and looked around, only to find Rangiku running off, Yachiru on her back, Isane beside her. She vaguely caught a glimpse of something black in Rangiku's hand.

"She didn't. I'll be back." she grinned, at Byakuya, then shunpoed in front of Rangiku, causing the woman to skid to a halt before running into her.

"Give me the camera, right now."

"No! This is our only picture!"

"Give it."

"Never!" Rangiku started running towards the gorge, and Shinobu quickly gave chase. Launching at her twenty feet from the gorge, Shinobu grabbed Rangiku's back and pulled her to the ground, only to continue sliding off the edge.

"DAMMIT!" she scrabbled for a hold, only finding purchase on a small chip on a rock the size of a door jutting out. Rangiku grabbed onto her ankle, and she looked for another grip with her other hand. Upon finding one, she grabbed onto it.

"This is fun!" Yachiru squealed.

"Rangiku, I hate you!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Drop the camera and grab onto my other ankle, before you slip."

"I won't let go. Yachiru, hold it."

"Okay, Boobies!" Shinobu cursed, and Isane looked down at them.

"Rangiku-chan, Yachiru-chan, are you alright?"

"We're fine!"

"You are because you're not holding onto a friggin' rock you lazy, moronic, annoying ass!"

"That's just harsh Shinobu-chan." she grit her teeth as the rock started cutting into her fingers.

"I am so not strong enough to hold all three of us." as she spoke, the first rock grip broke off, causing her fingers to start bleeding, and her to lose her grip.

"Shit!" She scanned the dirt wall again, looking for somewhere she could move to. Suddenly, the large rock shifted.

"Oh god. Oh my god."

"What's wrong?"

"We're about to get soaked."

"Huh?" it shifted again and start pulling out. Shinobu grimaced and looked down, then snatched the camera out of Yachiru's hands with her free hand.

"You'll probably be safer if you let go now, so the rock won't fall on you guys."

"Good point. Keep that dry for us, 'kay, Shinobu-chan?"

"Totally." she rolled her eyes, and Rangiku pushed off and let go, then fell into the river below. Just as the rock came completely out, something flashed by her and grabbed her, then she was on the edge in Byakuya's arms, holding the camera. She looked up.

"Thanks." he set her down and she looked down stream to the beach where Rangiku and Yachiru had washed up.

"Alrighty then. That makes five times falling over the edge. Five times saved by you."

"Four."

"It's completely five. Trust me. Five times saved by you. Four times saved from falling in by you." he didn't respond, and she rolled her eyes, then looked at the picture on the camera and smiled.

"Rangiku is a really good photographer." she looked at the picture of her and Byakuya kissing. Instinctively, she turned so she was facing him.

"I wish she'd use her talents for something better though. Not for being paparazzi." she turned the camera off and faced Isane.

"You're a nice person. Why are you with them?"

"Yachiru is the president of the Shinigami Women's Association. She made me come."

"I pity you." Suddenly, Rangiku appeared in front of her and lunged for the camera. She pulled away, running into Byakuya, who took the camera. Rangiku paused.

"Don't. Please don't. You can delete the picture, but don't throw my camera in the gorge." knowing full well that he would throw it in, Shinobu took it back and quickly took out the memory card, then tossed it back.

"I'll keep this."

"Uwaah..." she slipped it into her pocket.

"That had pictures of my captain on it."

"Too bad." Rangiku sighed and shunpoed away, followed by Yachiru and Isane. Shinobu yawned.

"So how's your day been?" he smiled.

"What?"

"It's only been half an hour since you left."

"For real? I'm freakin' tired because of half an hour of work? God, I have issues."

"No, you're just a cat."

"Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"More of a compliment."

"Are you sure? Because, I mean, you've called me a masculine cat before. And you've-"

"Don't."

"Exactly."

"Weren't you tired?"

"Oh yeah! I may go take a nap somewhere."

"Somewhere?"

"Okay, in bed." she grinned, then shunpoed back to the house. _Now the question is, do I sleep in my bed, or his... _

"Let's check my room." she whispered, then headed to her room, only to stand in the doorway, gaping.

"What the hell...?" everything in the room was covered in plastic wrap.

"My room is dead." she looked at the meager pile of her clothes on the bed.

"See, now, this is just sad. Compared to the amount of clothes Yoruichi has, this is just pathetic." Byakuya chuckled behind her.

"Are you laughing at my room?"

"Yes."

"You are such a mean person. Guess I'm sleepin' in your bed then. Plastic wrap is more than a little uncomfortable." she looked at the clothes.

"You can leave those in here."

"I might do that. You probably have even more clothes than Yoruichi, and that would make me feel even worse." he chuckled again.

"Okay, now you're laughing at me." she shut the door and headed to his room. She slid the door open and paused.

"I've been in here twice, and every time it strikes me that this room is very blue." she mumbled, then turned around.

"If I don't wake up an hour before dinner, please wake me up." he nodded and shut the door. She walked over to the bed and curled up under the covers, feeling a little out of place.

Shinobu opened her eyes, feeling like she was just awake a second ago.

"I am amazed sometimes at how fast I can fall asleep. It's like a magic word." she sat up and felt her hair, glad to find it still in place. The door slid open, letting blinding light inside. She shielded her eyes.

"How long have you been up?"

"About five seconds. Maybe seven."

"Yoshiro's doing something in the kitchen."

"Oh god. He better not drop anything." she stood up and Byakuya walked away. She walked to the door, feeling incredibly unsteady. Shaking her head, she headed towards the kitchen and had to blink a couple times.

"Okay, what happened in here?" she said, shaking falling flour out of her hair. Yoshiro, covered in the white powder, grinned at her.

"Well, uh, this was an accident, but I can clean it up alone. In fact, Shinobu Shihoin soon to be Kuchiki, I ban you from the kitchen for the rest of the night!"

"Ah? But-"

"No buts. I can cook this meal on my own. Now, get out of the kitchen, before I throw a bag of flour at you."

"At least let me clean this up. You're going to get flour over everything." he sighed.

"Alright. But that's it." she grabbed a broom and sighed.

"I'm going to be covered in falling flour."

"How do you think I feel?"

"Okay, get the flower off of yourself before cooking. Being sanitary is like, the first rule of cooking." he laughed.

"Alright." she started sweeping up the flour on the floor, then brushed it out of her hair. Half an hour later, she finally moved the last of the flour into a trash bag.

"Jesus." Yoshiro grinned.

"Leave it over there. You can't see what I'm making." sighing heavily, she moved outside, only to come face to face with Kukichi.

"Uhm..."

"Were you making your dinner in there?"

"Actually, I've been banned from the kitchen. If you were coming for a snack, I'm sorry."

"Darn. Guess I'll have to come another day." Kukichi turned around and shuffled away. She watched him go, then looked up at the just arrived Rukia.

"Aren't you making dinner?"

"Yoshiro banned me from the kitchen. I think he's mad that I've been assisting him."

"Assisting? You practically made the meals by yourself."

"Really? No. He did most of it. I just helped."

"No. You really did most of it."

"Okay, now I just feel bad. It's his job, not mine. I shouldn't be taking it away from him." she sighed.

"You've had an overwhelming day. Can't you just relax?"

"It's really hard. Why do you think I sleep so often? How do you relax?"

"If it's work related, I just watch Renji. It makes me feel better about myself."

"I wonder how he feels about that."

"He tries his best. The Lieutenant test things are coming up. It'll be his second one."

"Hm."

"Dinner, is served!" Yoshiro kicked open the door, which Shinobu was slightly leaning on. The corner of the door hit her in the back of the head.

"Ow!"

"Sorry Shinobu-dono. But dinner is served. Is Lord Kuchiki eating?"

"I don't know. He seems awfully busy with something recently." Shinobu bit her lip. _I know what she means. I'm always busy with work, just because it's something to do. I wonder what he's doing? _

"Well, why don't we start eating?" Shinobu nodded, and the two started eating.

"Wow. This is extremely good."

"Yeah. Oi, Yoshiro!"

"Eh?"

"What is this?"

"Doesn't have a name. It's a family recipe."

"Hm. I commend whoever made this up then."

"I'll tell my Grandma then." she nodded, and both her and Rukia ate in silence. When she was finished, she put her silverware down.

"Rukia, I've got a question."

"Huh?"

"Do you feel this sense of awkwardness or suspense? I don't know. There is something. I feel like something has changed."

"Other than you getting engaged?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I definitely feel it too. I'm not sure what it's about though. Maybe we're just uneasy because we had another big change."

"I dunno." Yoshiro took her plate.

"I'm gonna change. Maybe if I go work I can relax a bit." Rukia nodded and Shinobu moved to her room. _Nanami would be really worried. _Quickly slipping out of her cami, skinny jeans, and flats, and into the loose fitting Onmitsukidō uniform, then shunpoed out of the house. She stopped in front of Rangiku's room.

"What are my chances she's actually here?" _Very slim. _She frowned at her inner voice before knocking on the door. No noise came from the room.

"Of course. Lord knows where she is." Shinobu stretched. _This should be a day for relaxing, but I really just can't do that. People can have two different lives. A personal, and a work. Right now, I think everyone's work is stressing and not letting out personals breathe. _She closed her eyes for a moment. _Sasake. Where is that bastard? _An image of the clearing popped into her head

"It's worth a try." she muttered, shunpoing away. She stumbled, tripped, and fell flat, all without making a noise, as she arrived. A meeting was indeed in procession. She picked herself up, and she twisted the ring around her finger, moving the diamond into the inside of her hand. _Okay Shinobu, no fighting. Just spying. NO fighting._ Even as she told herself no, her body itched to go in there and apprehend the man speaking, who, no doubt, was the vice president. They had the president in custody, and the meetings still continued.

"Are we going to take this bullshit anymore?"

"No!"

"Has the Shihoin girl gotten too close, too often?"

"Yeah!"

"So let's take her out!"

"Yeah!" someone came up and whispered something in his ear. He nodded, then called someone else up, told them something and they disappeared. She narrowed her eyes.

"Hello missy." she looked behind her. _Why am I so out of it? _

"What're you doing here?"

"What's it look like?" _No fighting!_

"It looks like she's spying on us again, doesn't it?" by now she was surrounded by more than a few people.

"You guys got me. I was actually thinking about joining your group, ya know?"

"Yeah right. Take her out." a slight rise in her Spiritual Pressure, and all the men dropped to the ground.

"Take that, bastards." she stood up. Most people in the clearing had fallen too. She took a step out, and someone grabbed her ankle, bringing her down. She kicked out and hit them in the face, but they held firm.

"Get off! I vowed to no fighting!"

"We'll use that to our advantage then." she rolled over to avoid the coming strike, but stopped at the painful twist in her ankle, as the person refused to let go. She rolled again, then furiously kicked, gaining precious seconds of freedom. She jumped to her feet, only to be sent reeling back as the person hit her in the head with the hilt of their sword. _Not good. _She felt for Mizutateru, and gasped. Gone. _Must've left it in the bag when I changed at the wedding. _She rolled away again from a strike, only to have someone on the ground wrap and arm around her neck, putting her in a head lock. She gripped their forearms and started pulling, to no avail. Her airway's were constricted, and so was her oxygen supply. People started rising to their feet and she started panicking. _Can't get hurt again. Can't. He'll get worried again. _Somebody kicked her in the chin, forcing her head up, which completely cut off her airway. She could feel herself getting weaker as she struggled to get free. _Did they have this all planned out? _Sasake came into view and looked at her.

"Helpless without your weapon now, aren't you?" he held up Mizutateru, and she narrowed her eyes. He bent over and smiled sadistically.

"I'll make sure your death is sickeningly slow. Then I'll deliver your body to your fiance." her world darkened.

She woke up in a dark room. It was really dark, but she could tell that the walls were stone, and so was the floor. Her hands were shackled to the wall, and she was hanging by her arms. The metal cuffs were digging into her wrists, which were already raw. A door creaked open and she knew what this reminded her of. A castle dungeon. Sasake stepped into view from the doorway, something in his hand.

"Surely you recognize this." he let it uncoil and she recoiled.

"A whip."

"Exactly."

"Why didn't you just kill me sooner? Someone will know I'm missing by now."

"No. I had a friend tell Captain Kuchiki that you'll be gone for a while."

"Are you moronic? I don't have people tell him things for me. I tell him myself."

"Well, it'll keep his suspicions at bay for a little longer." he cracked the whip at the ground, and she was reminded her saving Nanami from the same weapon. Already familiar with the pain that would ensue, she braced herself, not knowing just how much more it would hurt this time. He stepped up closer, and cracked it across her stomach. She cried out, then bit her tongue. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and she spat. The next time he hit her across the breasts and she screamed. And so this continued until she hung limp in her shackles, now completely oblivious to the pain. Her clothes were in tatters, and she was bleeding from every single cut. Smirking with victory, Sasake left, and Shinobu looked up. _He'll be back. He knows I'm not dead. _She balled her hands into fists.

"Byakurai." the lightning shot through the chain, melting the metal on both sides. She fell to the ground, and ignored the screaming in her limbs. The pain was worse than she'd ever thought it could be. Worse than the tiny slices from Byakuya's Shikai. Probably worse than his Bankai, because that killed most people, so they didn't endure this. She looked around, then raised her Spiritual Pressure high enough than anyone outside these stone walls could feel it. Shuddering, she moved into a wall, and closed her eyes. _Mizutateru, please help me. _A cooling sensation covered her body, turning the pain down a notch or two. She shut her eyes, and an even colder feeling covered her as ice enveloped her body.

She woke up to the sound of someone hacking on her protection. Her ice held firm, reforming it's cuts just after the person made a strike. She was freezing, and numb, but at least not in pain. She squinted through the ice at Sasake.

"Open this damn thing up, Shihoin!"

"NO." she coughed.

"Open it up or when I get you out I'mma beat your ass four times today!"

"I seriously doubt that Sasake." she looked past him. A man in green stood there.

"And who the hell are you?"

"Dad!" Shinobu cried, then coughed again.

"You're Urahara? Oh this'll be easy."

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." Sasake dodged and the petals attacked the ice, which she let it do, as it slowly ate away layer after layer. As soon as it finished she gladly took the cloak Urahara threw to her. She wrapped it around her, but sat where she was. Byakuya appeared next to her.

"Are you alright?" she didn't respond right away, trying to counter the pain racking her body. A few seconds later, she managed a response, "Yeah." her body shuddered, and she morphed into a cat. Byakuya picked her up.

"I'm sorry."

"About what?" she smiled meekly, even though she still fought waves of pain.

"I should have thought it was strange-"

"Do not even start with that. I get hurt more than you. Way more. We're just going to have to deal with it. How long has it been?"

"A few days."

"That's not bad." she tensed again.

"Kuchiki, get her out of here." he stood up.

"You're not going anywhere, Captain." guards swarmed into the room, and Byakuya flashed behind Sasake, grabbed Mizutateru, then flashed away again to the Infirmary. Shinobu looked at him.

"You put yourself in danger. That scares me much more than Sasake whipping me."

"Now you know how I feel almost all the time now." she grimaced, then cried out again, drawing Unohana's attention. Just before the Captain took her, she searched her body for the engagement ring, and sighed, finding a silver band on her paw. Not just a metal band, and actual silver band of fur around her ankle. Unohana laid her down and started healing her immediately, while Byakuya watched with an intense gaze.

The first thing she knew when she woke up was that she was human again. And naked, for that matter. Which meant that she was good enough that her body could support a full system again. She sat up and made sure her blanket came up with her. Locating clothes at the foot of her bed, she changed under the blanket, then swung her legs over the side of the bed. Byakuya sat in a chair, asleep, but at least looking peaceful. She got up, and had to remember how to walk for a minute, until she made her way over to Byakuya. She leaned over and looked at him, and smiled. At least she could remember that function. She'd had some issues when she got dressed, but walking had been the dead give away that her muscles didn't remember some things. Walking, for example. And probably running was going to be fun. She sat there for a minute, trying to find the right words, not exactly sure how to say what she wanted to.

"Byakuya..." his eyes snapped open and she took a step back, grinning.

"Did I scare you?" without a word, he was on his feet, and wrapping his arms around her. She took a few seconds to remember how to hug, then returned the affection.

"How..." she thought for a second, "how long was I... out?" he didn't respond.

"Byakuya?" he still didn't respond, only tightened his grip on her. She shut her eyes for a second. _What's wrong?_

"What's wrong?" she opened her eyes again, to see Rukia, Yoruichi, Urahara, Unohana, and Kyoraku outside the window, watching the scene unfold. She glared at them, and managed to get the blinds shut. Byakuya pulled away and looked at her.

"Don't ever get hurt again."

"Sorry. Maybe you should put me under house arrest?"

"I might." she smiled, and he pulled her into a kiss. After a few seconds of bliss, he pulled apart and looked at the door.

"I just heard a knock."

"Really?" she let go and cracked the door open, but could see nothing except a slight shape. She opened it more, and gasped.

"What?" both the person at the door, and Byakuya, managed to ask.

"N-n-n-nanami...?"

"Yes?" Shinobu grappled her dead friend into a hug, nearly suffocating her.

"Nanami?" Byakuya moved up behind her and stood dumbfounded. Yoruichi slid in and smiled.

"I took her body to Orihime."

"Feels like I fell asleep. Though I do not remember at all what happened to make me die." it took Nanami a second, but she realized that Shinobu was crying.

"You aren't crying, are you?"

"I missed you so much." Shinobu shut her eyes and let the tears stream down her face silently. It took only that for Shinobu to realize what their relationship was. Not sister to sister, but more like mother to daughter. Within seconds though, a nurse arrived to ruin the moment.

"Shihoin-dono? Why are you up? Again?" her nurse glared at her.

"What? Am I legendary in here now?"

"Pretty much. Now GET IN BED!" Nanami backed up and so did Shinobu, retreating into her bed.

"Thank you." she walked away. Nanami looked at her and laughed.

"Good lord. She's Unohana in the making." Shinobu whispered.

"Well, I gotta go. See you at the Manor. You are still staying there, right?"

"Yeah." she purposely moved her left hand so Nanami looked down.

"Oh my god! Alright, I'll be going then!" she was beaming now, and quickly disappeared. Yoruichi blinked, then shut the door again. Byakuya looked at her, and she smiled innocently. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, he slid over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders again. She smiled, and embraced him back. It seemed like that only minutes later, someone came in and said visiting hours were over. She sighed and released him.

"And Shihoin-sama is also staying here. Her water broke a little while ago." the loving, lazy mood quickly adjusted itself.

"A little while ago as in a few minutes ago, or hours ago?"

"Two hours." she started getting up.

"Don't get up." by now, Byakuya had had some time to realize that she wasn't walking the best. She narrowed her eyes.

"I'm going down there, no matter what." the last part was directed to the nurse in the room, who smiled faintly.

"Nothing against patients visiting patients."

"No."

"Com-"

"If she starts going into birth, come get her, but she stays here until then."

"That's no-" he silenced her with a simple look, telling her all she needed to know. _He's afraid I'll hurt myself. Of course. _Byakuya left quickly, and the nurse looked at her.

"So, what's the deal?"

"Huh?"

"You're obviously engaged. To him. So, like, what? Did he pay the Shihoin's some obscene amount of money? Did he threaten you? Promise your first child to them?" the nurse obviously expected her to gush about how lucky she was that such a famous and desired person had chosen her. Grinning secretly to herself, and looked at the nurse dramatically.

"Actually, none of those. He hasn't paid a penny to us. The closest he's got to threatening the Clan might've been about Yamasaki, a fired elder. And I have no idea about the child thing. It was like, what, a month and a half, two months ago, when I came back. And he chased me off a cliff. And then he had to let me recuperated before arresting me, so yeah."

"That seems very unlike Kuchiki-sama."

"Yeah well, it's even stranger that he has such a strong hate for Yoruichi."

"I guess you're right. So, when and where did he propose?"

"Mmmm... when did I get admitted to the hospital?"

"Three days ago."

"Three, two... So about fiveish days ago at Yoruichi and Dad's wedding?"

"That's romantic! Proposing at a wedding!"

"I guess it is."

"So what is he like under that cold, hard shell?"

"Mmmmmm..." she smiled to herself.

"I'm not letting that cat out of the cage. So who is the new most desired person?"

"Actually, it's him still! You two getting engaged is like, the top news, so he's been in here for the past three days hiding, I guess. Your whole background story is like, sky rocketing him up higher! It's really awesome!"

"So what all has been told about me?" now concerned about the mission she was on, she narrowed her eyes.

"Well, you're Urahara, or Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihoin's daughter. You left Soul Society a hundred years back, then came back on a mission of a sort. Then Yoruichi came back, and you spent a lot of time at the Kuchiki Manor, becoming close to a maid there. Then, you started getting hurt all the time for strange reasons, and I swear you cause him more worry than his first wife, so he was constantly with you. Then sometime recently, he proposed."

"First wife?"

"Oh! Hisana Kuchiki! They were only married for five years before an illness overtook her. Rukia Kuchiki-sama is actually Hisana's sister. That was quite the sad ending though." the nurse chattered on and on, while Shinobu drifted away slowly in her own thoughts. _Another wife? Hisana? Rukia's sister? Why didn't he tell me any of this? What else am I missing? _She let the nurse chatter for a while, then yawned.

"Oh! You must be tired! So so so sorry! I'll come wake you if Yoruichi-sama goes into birth." and she was gone, lights off, room silent again. She shut her eyes and laid back, envisioning the spots on the ceiling. Suddenly, her thoughts flickered to the first moments from when she'd arrived her, starting with the training grounds in Kisuke's shop, to arriving, to getting chased all over the bloody society. Her lips, starting in a flat line, gradually moved into a smile.

"_Kuchiki, let me see her!" Yoruichi yelled._

"_She's not awake yet." In contrast, Byakuya's voice was almost a whisper._

"_Hey Kuchiki-san. Hey Yoruichi." Shinobu looked out her doorway._

"_Miya!"_

"_Wow this really is confusing..." Yoruichi strangled her daughter into a hug, then let go, allowing her to breathe._

"_Do not do that again."_

"_I thought you were dead or dying."_

"_Uh, hello. You can't kill me. People have tried before, remember?"_

"_Still."_

"_Yoruichi-dono, be careful."_

"_What happened to your face?" Yoruichi's voice raised again._

"_Was this you?" Yoruichi turned on Byakuya. _

"_No, for god's sake Mom calm down before I smack you!"_

"_How long have you kept her here?"_

"_Mom, if I'd have wanted to leave, I would have. It's not like a prison. There's just a few rules. I actually kinda like it here." Both Yoruichi and Byakuya seemed shocked by the last statement._

"_What? I grew up as a noble for fifteen years, then you whisked me away. It's not my fault if I like this style of living. And also, they have the biggest fish! You should have seen them! They were like, two feet long! It was ginormous." Byakuya watched as Shinobu told Yoruichi about all of her adventures and discoveries in the house, a slight smile hinting at his lips at her enthusiasm. _This last reliving sent her into sleep to relive the rest of her stay in Soul Society, both the painful, funny, sad, happy, and down right confusing.

"Shihoin-dono!" Shinobu registered that they were referring to her. She opened her eyes, and rubbed them, then sat up.

"Yes?"

"It's Yoruichi-sama!" Shinobu was on her feet in an instant, and out the door, walking straight towards her mother's Spiritual Pressure. Urahara stood outside the window, and she joined him.

"Not letting you in?"

"No." she pressed her stomach against the wall so she could attempt to peer through the blinds, which was _not_ working.

"Ugh."

"I know." a few moments of silence.

"Just to let you know, I am definitely not coming around your house until that kid is five." he laughed.

"Why is that?"

"Because me and little little kids just don't mix. Now when they're asleep, that's a different thing." he rolled his eyes.

"Just wait until you have a kid."

"Right. Then I'll have sleepless nights."

"Shihoin-dono!" both of them turned around, used to being called that now.

"Shinobu Shihoin. Captain Unohana wants to start rehabilitating your muscles." she looked back at the nurse, who looked pretty determined to drag her away if she must.

"Right, because I can't walk well, let alone run. Dad, I bid you farewell." she looked back at him, and he surprised her by hugging her.

"Don't hurt yourself."

"You sound like Byakuya." she looked back at him again and he released her. Grinning, she moved towards the nurse, who led her away to a place she thought she'd never see. A weight room.

"What am I supposed to do in here?"

"There's a bench press. Start with that, you need to rebuild your arm strength. Most of your muscle memory was destroyed." Shinobu sighed, then moved over to the weights and loaded on what she would think would be easy. Hundred and thirty pounds. She used to be able to lift two hundred, but she wasn't about to overestimate herself. She laid down and gripped the bar, then tried to lifted it. She got it off the holding area, then almost dropped it on herself.

"Too heavy." she gasped.

"Would you like me to get someone to lift that back up?"

"No. I need to do it myself." she adjusted her grip. _Was it always this heavy? Damn it. _She took a deep breath, and started pushing it back up. _In order to do one rep, I need to be able to bring it up, then down, without my elbows buckling. _She got to the high point, and knew better than to think the hard part was done. She slowly brought it down, then repeated, for an entire hour, before it finally became as light as she thought it used to be.

"Why did that take so little time?"

"Your muscles have done this before. They just forgot. It's like forgetting how to ride a bike. You get back on, and quickly gain the hang of it again."

"Alright. So let's go to hundred fifty." she placed it back on the holder.

"I don't think that's a good idea.

"It'll go faster."

"It's not safe."

"Safety isn't my top thought." Shinobu put ten pounds on each side. Her arms were already sore, but she didn't care. When her arms were in tip top shape, it was time to recover her shunpo abilities. She laid back down and braced herself for new difficulties. Taking a deep breath, she lifted, finding it surprisingly easy.

"Ugh... this is really light..." she set it back down.

"Really?"

"Yeah." she put twenty more on, bringing the grand total to one hundred seventy.

"That is really not safe."

"I used to lift more than two hundred pounds. You're telling me this isn't safe?" She paused as she laid down. _Kurotsuchi's potion. What if it's helping me recover faster?_ She shut her eyes, and put her hands on the bar, then brought it up. Same problems as the first time. She went for an hour again, before the nurse got bored.

"Alright. I'll be elsewhere if you need me. Just hit this red button." she slipped out of the door and shut it behind her, making sure to lock it from the outside so she couldn't get out.

"Nice to know you trust me so much!" she called, quickly getting up. She took off all the weights, then grabbed four fifty pound weight and stuck them on.

"Two hundred pounds, here we go." _this has to be seventy pounds more than me. _She curled her fingers around the bar, then started lifting up. It shivered, then lifted up. Two inches, seven inches, twelve inches, until her arms were straight. Her elbows were about to buckle, and her fear rose to the point that she didn't bring it down, ignoring the screaming in her arms. She didn't want to drop two hundred pounds on her chest. Being so focused on keeping her arms straight, she didn't notice when the door unlocked and someone slid inside, then moved behind her and grabbed the bar with both hands, taking the weight from her sore, tired arms. She looked back and gasped.

"Byakuya!"

"You shouldn't have gone straight to two hundred." she sat up.

"They had to put new tissue in some of your muscles, including your arms. This is more training them to be like the old tissue than actually regaining your former strength." she blinked.

"Have you been here the whole time?" he nodded and she turned bright red.

"Okay, I realize I was an idiot to think I could jump thirty pounds. Ten pounds can make all the difference. But I'm immature, impatient, and stupid. I want my revenge on Sasake." as she spoke, she caught the slight shift in Byakuya's features, the only shift he showed to normal people. Which meant he really was trying to keep her from realizing the truth. After a dismayed minute, she opened her mouth again.

"You didn't catch him."

"And only three Captains and one Lieutenant remain active."

"Was Zaraki let out?"

"Then brought right back after he got sliced up."

"Who's left?"

"Yamamoto, Unohana, Isane, and I."

"Damn." she shut her eyes for a moment. Out of training mode, straight back into work mode. If she couldn't do field work, she could settle for office work.

"They've given up on taking out the Infirmary, and it'll be harder to take down the rest of you. By now all Squad members have to know something is up, their captains randomly disappearing."

"Most Squads have been put into full lock down, including Four."

"Then why are you-"

"They locked down the whole Infirmary, and everyone inside." she smirked, and he countered her thoughts with a warning look.

"Why not?" was her only response. He barely considered it before he responded.

"If the Group figures it out, then we'll be loosing people left and right. They need to know that even we aren't above the law."

"But how did I start out here? A girl imprisoned a great many times, a thief, and extraordinary escapee. You could only try to stop me, if I tried. I'm not above the law, I'm just breaking it." Byakuya blocked the only window in the room.

"I don't want to hurt you."


	11. Chapter 11

They both stood in fighting stances, for the most part. The first question in her mind was if this was the first fight as a couple, or as partners.

"Look, you could actually arrest me if you want, but right now all four people who have the best chance of figuring this out are locked in a hospital." he looked at her skeptically, allowing time for the person at the door to knock. They both faced the door as it opened. Soifon stepped in and noted Shinobu's reddening face.

"You look well." Shinobu commented after a second, realizing that Soifon hadn't been in the listened active captains.

"Minor injury. Captain Yamamoto requested the remaining Captains, Lieutenants, and Ryoka to come to his quarters."

"I'm not Ryoka!" Soifon didn't respond. Byakuya laid a hand on her back, and she sighed. She could vent her anger later. Soifon cracked her knuckles.

"You have permission to leave and have free roam of all squads, but if you break even the simplest law, Ryoka, you will be arrested. No one will be shown leniency." Soifon disappeared.

"I guess that means going against things you say is out of the question now." she muttered. She moved to one side of the room, and attempted to shunpo, only succeeding in sending a jolt of pain through her body. She fell to one knee and took a deep breath.

"Are you alright?" she nodded.

"I can't shunpo, but I can walk there."

"That's too dangerous."

"So what do you want me to do? Turn into a cat and ride your shoulder there?"

They came to a stop in Yamamoto's personal meeting room, where Kisuke, Soifon, Isane, and Unohana already were. Dropping down off his shoulder, she curled her tail around her feet and glared at him.

"Shinobu...?" Kisuke looked at her.

"What?"

"Why are you a cat?"

"Can't use shunpo." she looked at her ankle again, making sure that the silver band of fur remained. Byakuya stood behind her, and the others formed a line as Yamamoto entered and took his seat.

"As you are aware, this is the most elite group of people ever in this single room, and you happen to be the only ones still active. By now, it was leaked into one of the locked down groups what was happened. That squad was six." Shinobu could feel the tension arise from Byakuya behind her, could smell is fear.

"They've managed to take hostages, including Kuchiki Rukia." her fur bristled and she stood up.

"Why was Rukia there?"

"Looking for her brother when we locked down. There are various others taken hostage in there, but they're identities haven't been confirmed. Every single squad has been locked down, including every manor in Seireitei."

"Who are you using to lock everything down?"

"The King has lent us his Royal Guard." Her eyes widened.

"Kuchiki, and the Shihoins are to go to Squad Six. Be stealthy please. Soifon, Unohana, and Isane stay here with me." Byakuya looked at Shinobu on the floor.

"I'll stay a cat, thank you." she jumped up onto his shoulder again, and he shunpoed off. Just before letting her jump off, he hugged her as best as he could. She smiled.

"I solemnly swear not to get hurt." he let her down and she made her way around the barracks, then climbed her way up a tree and jumped over into the barracks. Landing hard on her legs, she sat down stunned for a moment. Someone looked at her.

"That's Captain Kuchiki's cat." they whispered to the person next to them.

"Did it just jump over the barrack wall? No normal cat can do that."

"If only they knew." she whispered, pushing herself back upwards and walked towards the duo, who watched her skeptically.

"Kneel down, now." she said, just loud enough for them to hear her. They knelt down and she looked at them both.

"Where are they holding the hostages?"

"You can talk?"

"Don't tell anyone. My name is Shinobu Shihoin. I've spent a fair amount of time here. Now, where are the hostages?"

"I believe they are holding them in the Captain's office."

"Good. I can get in there easy. Thank you, and I was never here." she bounded away, feeling each little jolt of pain in her legs as the new tissues were rewiring. Soon, she'd be fine. Quickly finding the venting system, she pulled off the cover with her teeth, slipped in, and pulled the cover back on. The tight vent was even a close fit for a cat, but she managed to move forward towards voices.

"Sasake-sama-" the voice was cut off by Sasake's, "No. We will not release the hostages. Yamamoto has no doubt already figured out a plan to get in here, but we can take whoever he sends down."

"Unless it's the Shihoin girl."

"Or Kuchiki-sama."

"SHUT UP." she crawled up to the vent and pressed her head against it to listen and look around the room. She quickly located Rukia, and others she had seen, but they had one person on the floor behind his desk.

"Shinobu will kick your asses, and you'll regret ever thinking up this dumb ass plan." she froze in place.

"Nanami," she breathed.

"Quiet!" Sasake struck her, but she made no sound. Shinobu grimaced, then turned tail and made her way back the way she'd come. She pushed the vent up, then sprinted over to the wall and made her jump, clearing the wall with a fair amount of pain. She landed softly on the other side, then laid down, back legs screaming at her.

"Byakuya!" she hissed. No sounds. She pulled herself out into the open, and laid on her side, eyes closed. Fifteen minutes later, someone put a hand on her side and her eyes snapped open.

"Dad!"

"Sh. What did you learn?"

"The hostages are in his office. Sasake is in there. They've got Nanami too."

"Alright. How are your legs?"

"Ow. But I'll survive. I need to change back, now. I can't do anything like this. Please!" he looked around, then picked her up and shunpoed back to her room in the infirmary, then shunpoed away. She changed back and pulled her clothes, on, then, managed to take her painful slow shunpo back.

"You could have waited."

"Sorry." she crouched down for a minute as Byakuya rounded the corner, then jogged over.

"What happened?"

"I came out. They've got the hostages locked in your office, but they're letting everyone else wander. Probably threatened them with killing them instead of a hostage if they tried to leave. We've got Sasake pinned in there."

"Did you shunpo back here?" the fire in her legs had dulled to a throb, but it still probably showed on her face.

"I'll be fine. We need to get over there. No one can stop all three of us together." silence for a moment.

"Miya, get up onto the barrack wall and run around to his office, and stop on the roof. Don't get spotted. Don't go in until you hear us inside, alright?" Kisuke explained.

"Okay." Shinobu straightened up and looked at the wall, then looked back at Byakuya. Him and Kisuke were figuring out their path inside. Her mind quickly formatted her plan.

"Byakuya." he looked up and she placed one hand on the back of his neck and kissed him. Breaking apart, she rested her forehead on his for only a moment, long enough to say, "Please be careful." then scrambled up the wall and make her way to his office. As she got there, she ran into a problem. It wasn't that his office's roof was too far, just that it was far enough to make it difficult to land silently. Taking a deep breath, she looked around for a closer roof, then jumped there, then to his. Once she landed, she pressed herself flat near a roof vent, listening to the plans inside. Nanami and Rukia both glanced up, and Shinobu didn't move fast enough before they caught sight of her. _Why were they looking up? Surely my landing could only have sounded heavy enough to be a small bird. _Shinobu rolled back over to watch the scene, knowing that Rukia and Nanami wouldn't look up again now that she was there, for fear of giving her away. She looked at the standing people, obviously part of the group, until she spotted a familiar blonde hair.

"Yoshiro, last time you saw Shinobu, how was she?"

"It was just after she got engaged, which means you've seen her more recently."

"Which means she should be in horrible shape still." _Think again._

"Yoshiro, you're despicable." _Nanami is awfully brave today._

"Shinobu trusted you! She taught you things, and enjoyed your company! Why are you doing this?"

"You should know why, Nanami! You know how it is to be treated like scum by the nobles! For all you know your precious Shinobu is silently laughing at you behind your back! You can't trust nobles!"

"Voices!" Sasake hissed, hitting them both. A few minutes later, Rukia spoke up.

"Are you just going to keep us sitting here like ducks?"

"This group of people is the only thing keeping the other Soul Reapers out. They don't want to lose anyone."

"Hm, well that's true." Everyone looked towards the doorway, where Shinobu couldn't see, but she knew her father's voice.

"Yamamoto really doesn't want to lose anyway. Our numbers are still down after the Winter War."

"How did you get in here?"

"It was really easy. You guys have no hand to hand combat skills." Shinobu gently lifted the vent cover up and placed it on the roof. The hole was big enough for her to fall through.

"Right Byakuya-kun?"

"Don't call me that." _Now's my chance! _She slipped down through the hole.

"You really need better observation skills." she said. Sasake turned around.

"How...?"

"The vent."

"How are you _moving_?"

"Oh. Apparently putting my new muscles in pain means making them rewire faster. Doesn't hurt too much anymore." Shinobu looked at Yoshiro, then crossed the room towards him and slammed him into the wall, hand on his throat.

"And sorry, but you were horribly wrong. I love Nanami, like a sister. Almost like a daughter. And I did trust you. I thought you were an amazing cook. But apparently even the nicest people make huge mistakes." she dropped him, letting him sink to the ground while he coughed. Sasake started laughing and she spun around, realizing that they'd been duped. The person's voice changed back to normal as they spoke, saying, "You guys are so dumb!" then the person clicked a red button, and a ticking noise met her ears.

"No."

"Yes!" and they started laughing again. She untied Nanami, then headed towards Rukia, hand on her blade's hilt.

"Ripples Spread Across Still Water, Mizutateru!" the void spread and she picked everyone in the room up in huge water sphere's, except herself. Kisuke narrowed his eyes as he looked at her, his voice ringing out clear through the void.

"Don't do this." the ticking stopped and she threw the spheres together. The man nearby exploded into chunks, the blast throwing Shinobu into the wall of her shikai. The blast sped upwards, but didn't penetrate the huge sphere, just bounced off the roof and came back down, only to be absorbed by the water. Shinobu sunk into the water, quickly regaining her senses and checking over herself for injuries more than a few burns, and a couple bruises, but her water had protected her somewhat too, absorbing impact, and healing her worst injuries. She brought the sphere down and they all sat down on the surface of the water before getting up.

"Can someone give me a hand?" she called. Kisuke was busy checking everyone for preblast injuries, so Byakuya came over and she gladly took his hand.

"Are you alright?"

"A little burnt and bruised, but nothing I can't shrug off."

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I can't use my shikai abilities on myself. But it does heal me, so we'll never know how serious that could've been." he wrapped his arms around her.

"You have no idea how much you worry me." he whispered. She smiled.

"I'm sorry." he just held her tighter. Shinobu shut her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist, loving the bliss moment.

"Miya." she looked up at her father.

"We need to report to Yamamoto." she sighed and let go, as did Byakuya, then pulled out her sword. The water on her evaporated and disappeared with the void, leaving Rukia, Nanami, and the Squad Six members confused.

"Rukia, go back to your barracks. I don't care if you have to jump over the damn wall, just go. Nanami, I'll take you to the Infirmary. Help out Mom."

"Alright."

"And-"

"I'll deal with him." she glanced at Byakuya.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright. I'll come get you after I drop office Nanami." he nodded, and Nanami jumped onto her back.

"Holy shit. Alright." she jumped up out of the hole in the roof, then took her painstakingly slow shunpo back to the infirmary. She hovered on Yoruichi's window, balancing precariously on the sill. Nanami knocked for her, and a nurse rushed to open the window. Shinobu dropped inside and let go of Nanami.

"Shinobu, you're burned."

"I know. Got caught in a bomb blast. Anyway, Nanami is going to stay with you guys. Alright?"

"I'm not alright with you running around with those burns."

"I don't care. There are two people who sway my decisions. Sorry, but while you're disabled and not in the same danger as the rest of us are, you are not one of those two. Nanami, I don't know when I'll be back, but I will, alright?" Nanami nodded, and Shinobu jumped out the window and landed quietly. Her muscles groaned, but didn't scream. Satisfied with the dull pain, she shunpoed back, speed increased a notch. She jumped back through the hole.

"This is convenient." she muttered, then looked at Byakuya. Yoshiro was unconscious now, and bleeding from a place on his forehead where his skin was split. Didn't take Shinobu long to figure out what happened. The wound was still bleeding, and turning really black around it. Byakuya picked the limp figure up, and they shunpoed back to Yamamoto's personal meeting room. He dropped the traitor on the ground, his head bouncing on the wood. Soifon sat on the railing, eyes closed. Unohana and Isane were busy giving instructions to people in the Infirmary, helping with Yoruichi's problems. Kisuke was leaning against the wall, napping. At the thunk of Yoshiro's head, everyone looked their way, and Kisuke woke up. Yamamoto looked at the duo.

"I see that you took care of the problem."

"What do we do with him?"

"He'll stay here with me." Shinobu narrowed her eyes. _That is so uncharacteristic of him... _She narrowed her eyes further, and spotted a minute difference. There was a small black dot on his neck. _That wasn't there before._ She shunpoed behind him and plucked it off, looking at the tiny, black, machine. It squirmed in her grasp and she crushed it, then looked at Yamamoto, who blinked.

"Bind his hands and feet, and tie him to that pole."

"Now that's more normal."

"What?"

"Nothing." she dropped the little bits on the floor and watched them light on fire and burn themselves into tiny pools of silver metal.

"What was that?"

"A bug."

"The insect?"

"No. It's like, a tiny machine. I don't know what exactly it was doing, but it was changing your mind." he shut his eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath. New instructions.

"Soifon, Kisuke, and Byakuya, go to squad seven, then eight, and try to find traitors."

"Why not me? If there was four we could split up into pairs and do both divisions at the same time." Byakuya, Kisuke, Unohana, and Yamamoto looked at her.

"You're joking." Kisuke was the first to speak, and she furrowed her brown, confused.

"No..."

"Your muscles are still rewiring. Even if you can manage some speed in shunpo, pushing your speed with tear your old and new tissues apart. You need to rest. I probably need to heal you too, to help the binding process." Shinobu bit back her quick retort, and slid down to the ground, leaning on the wall, like a defeated teenager. So instead of being helpful for the time being, she would simply pout. Soifon rolled her eyes, and the trio was off, Byakuya offering one last glance of pity and consolation before disappearing. Unohana crouched in front of her and started healing her.

Half an hour later, Isane called Unohana away, a problem springing up. Shinobu, fairly certain she was fine, got up and looked at Yoshiro, crouching in front of him, hands falling limp off her knees. He had awoken a bit ago, but had remained silent. Now, being stared down by Shinobu, she could see him beginning to crack. Now she had to make sure to not let her anger control her actions or voice.

"What do you want?"

"I want to know how long you've been working for the group."

"I ain't telling you shit." She glanced towards Yamamoto, who said nothing. Shifting her focus back to him, then sat flat on the ground and looked at him again, more of a friendly stance than a predator stance.

"Since before you arrived. Just before I was hired." he was breaking faster. She hid her smirk.

"Tell me everything." he relaxed as he spoke, telling the story.

"I used to work in a small restaurant. Kuchiki-sama came often with Rukia-sama. One time, she commented that the food was getting even better. Before I knew it, they'd hired me as their chef. I had joined the group a week before, mad that I was completely disrespected. As soon as I moved into the Kuchiki Manor, they saw a perfect position, and so I became their agent to try and pry information from Rukia-sama, maids, servants, and the likes. Then Kuchiki-sama brought you back. I'd heard the alarms, and was secretly hoping the Ryoka would bring the Soul Reapers to their knees, little did I know that you were so... free spirited. After only hearing about you from the maids, servants, Nanami, and occasionally Rukia, I came to see things the way I expect you do. My views in the group changed, and I started slacking in going to meetings. I got yelled at, and the last straw was when I openly disobeyed a command. Then they threatened me. Sasake-sama told me that if I didn't do exactly as he said next time, that they would tell Kuchiki-sama, and have you killed. By then, I had already... already..." he paused, thinking. Yamamoto has started paying attention too, and Unohana's attention was even drawn.

"I had already fallen in love with you. It was a lose lose situation, but I wouldn't risk your safety, so I just went. When Sasake started talking about trying to kill you, he tried to get me to go with him, but other people opposed him. Then when he actually tried, well, I started attacking people. He came back and said he failed, so I calmed down. By the time you and Kuchiki-sama had gotten engaged, I was hopelessly in love. It was like there was two different yous. The you at home, all crazy and free. Then the you here, calm, calculating, still reckless, but you take risks. I couldn't fathom that the Shihoin they were always plotting against was the same immature woman I saw at the Manor. When they started locking down places, 'Sasake' and I were in the middle of trying to lure you in. The real Sasake decided I should have to kill you, finally finding a suitable punishment for skipping meetings and trying to drop out. What I screamed at Nanami, was lies. I knew you really cared about a lot of people, including me, so I was hoping you wouldn't come. And then, well, this." Shinobu fell back from her tense position and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. She was shocked. In love? Since when? How had she missed that? Shaking off her shock, she sat up.

"Yoshiro..." he couldn't meet her gaze, and she sighed, then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him the best that she could.

"I'm not asking for you to like me anymore. To trust me anymore. I understand if you hate me."

"I don't hate you! I was mad, sure. But you didn't want to do that. They didn't threaten your life. They threatened mine. More than one Sasake powered Soul Reaper would have killed me for sure. You were protecting one of the key players by staying in. Honestly, I'm not sure if that is considered treachery anymore, but you've redeemed yourself to me." she released him, then sat back flat on the ground. Unohana was smiling now. But the mood was killed quickly by the arrival of her father.

"Unohana!" her smile vanished as she looked at the ex-captain.

"Yes?"

"It's Byakuya-san." Shinobu shot to her feet.

"What happened?"

"He was pushing Soifon out of the way of someone's shikai attack and got hit." her eyes widened and she tensed.

"How bad is it?" Unohana took over questioning while Yoshiro, who had been freed by Yamamoto, took a hold of Shinobu's shoulders before she shunpoed off.

"Calm down." she took a deep breath, body shuddering with the ragged breath. She felt like a little kid who's dog just got hit by a car.

"Just come with me." Unohana followed Kisuke away and Isane helped Yoshiro in helping Shinobu to sit down, then restraining her from running after her father.

"Just calm down." Yamamoto stood up, and was gone instantly. A mere minute later, he returned and looked at Shinobu.

"Go join up with your father and Soifon. They're still in fighting shape. They stopped in the middle of taking out the people in Squad Eight. After you deal with them, you can go see Kuchiki." the corner of her mouth twitched, her mind turning slightly sadistic before she tamed her thoughts. Standing up, she took a deep breath.

"Yoshiro," Yamamoto threw a headset at him, and a mini mic at Shinobu.

"Tell her everything and anything you can think of that might help." she stuck the mini mic and receiver into her ear, and Yoshiro tested it, then she was gone, going in a beeline towards Unohana's Spiritual Pressure.

"Shinobu-sama, listen. Whenever I went to meetings, we always had hand to hand combat training. We knew we'd be fighting you and Ura-I mean, Shihoin-dono. Considering your his kid, you must be adept at contact combat. I've no doubt you can beat them, but be careful, they've got some nasty tricks up their sleeves."

"I hear you, Yoshiro. And I understand." she came to a halt and averted her eyes to look at Soifon.

"You, me, and Dad. Squad Eight. NOW." Kisuke looked up from farther away, then nodded and disappeared. She followed after Soifon, and they looked, aghast at the scene before her.

"What the hell happened here?"

"Like I said, Shikai." Kisuke slipped past and jumped over the wall. She braced herself, then did the same and landed softly. Blood was spattered everywhere, red streaks covering the wall, strangely looking like Renji's Shikai. She shook her head of such thoughts, then counted the bodies. At least ten already. Squad Eight's members were decreasing, fast. A masculine yell sounded and she could hear more blood being splattered. A girl ran out from behind a building.

"Help! Please help me! Ple-" before she finished, ten feet awake, something cut her in half. Blood splattered across Shinobu as the girls top section slid off, and all around could see her spine and organs. Blood gushed and Shinobu gagged.

"Deep breaths." Kisuke put a hand on her shoulder, and she did as told. Her stomach settled and she stepped over the body, blood still pouring from it. She started moving with feline grace, quickly and silently, towards where the girl had come from. Before she knew it, she was semi transforming into a cat. Fangs replaced canine, her ears sinking away into nothingness, fur covered ones growing form her head, and a tail snaking it's way out of her uniform. Her unsteady balance righted itself, and her vision grew clearer, sharper. She could hear someone's heavy breathing, and started toward them, quickly closing in on a bloodied man. None of which was his own blood, that much she could smell. He looked at her and she slammed him into the ground. _No one cares if he dies at this point. They only care for themselves. _She snapped his neck, a sickening crack sounding through the area. A little part of her brain felt like puking out her intestines at what she'd become. A fighting machine. Judging people's worthiness to live. Another, much bigger part, had taken over though. One that focused on getting rid of all emotion and feeling, and taking out the enemy. She'd been given orders, and would follow them to the dot. She moved on, more screaming registering. Before long, she started losing control of her own body. Something else was taking over. _What's happening? __**Shinobu! **__Mizutateru? __**That stuff you tried out for Kurotsuchi had an effect he didn't tell you about. He made that specially for you. He'd heard of your tenancy to disobey orders, so he put something in it, so when you hear order, after you get it in your head to follow, you will. **__Damn. So a crazy scientist is piloting my injured body. __**Essentially. **__Just what I needed to hear. _She took a deep breath. _Take back over Shinobu. _

Shinobu started struggling to stay still, and not move. After ten feet, her body was reacting to her struggle like a rusty, dying machine. Her movements were jerky, her vision blurred. She could fight even this. One knee faltered and she fell to her knee. She resisted the burning desire to keep going.

"I want control." she whispered, then pushed herself to her feet. She was free. Quickly, she started to sprint. _Control the problem. Get them all in a room and terrify them so they stay in there while Byakuya and Dad come. _She located another person, sword drawn, threatening someone who's Zanpakuto was feet away.

"Oh, okay." _No Zanpakuto. _She shunpoed behind the person, and with a sequence of precise movements, incapacitated him. He slumped and she grabbed his arm to keep the sword from slicing the person. They thanked her, and grabbed their Zanpakuto.

"Alright, could you just, go somewhere away from trouble?" they nodded and scurried away. She looked over the person, and located a purple ribbon around their Zanpakuto's hilt.

"That's how we know." she whispered, sliding him into the bushes. She moved on, knocking out several, and putting them all in hidden places, then taking their ribbons as she went. Half an hour later, she caught sight of Soifon in hand to hand combat with someone. She pressed herself flat against a wall and watched as she quickly beat the person down, and dragged him over to a pile of bodies which, she hoped, were still alive. She slid out.

"Soifon!" she looked at her, then the blood across her uniform.

"Oh, sorry. Some poor girl got sliced in half in front of me. Okay, please tell me those are all alive." she gestured to the pile of bodies.

"They are." she let out a sigh of relief.

"Oi! Miya! Soifon-chan!" she twitched at the informal use of her name, then resigned herself. Kisuke ran over.

"Alright, have you two seen any normal squad members?"

"Three, I think." Shinobu answered.

"None." Soifon sounded like she knew what Kisuke was going towards.

"Which means either they found a place to hide, they're captive, or they're all Rebels." she nodded solemnly, figuring it out. Shinobu pulled out the purple silk ribbons from her pocket and showed them to the other two. "They tie these around the hilt of their Zanpakuto's to signify that they're a Rebel. That's how they know not to attack eachother. If you see them, take them." Kisuke put a finger on his chin in thought. "Shouldn't we leave them on?"

"No. We can tell them apart. If they're not dead and or hurt, they're a rebel." _Except one. But someone will figure that one out, right? _

"Shinobu-sama!" she winced.

"What, Yoshiro?" static followed, then the line went silent.

"Yoshiro?" she tapped the ear piece.

"Yoshiro?"

"Is he not responding?"

"No. I think someone broke his. Which means someone else is there." Kisuke looked at her.

"Go. But please, be careful." she nodded, and gave him a quick hug, then shunpoed off, feeling the strain in her legs as she moved faster than she should. She skidded to a halt in Yamamoto's quarters and uttered something that sounded scarily similar to a growl. Yoshiro was unconscious, and bleeding from a new gash on his head, his mic snapped in half a foot away. Unohana had formed a protective bubble of something around her and Isane. Yamamoto was no where to be seen. The person standing above Yoshiro was someone she really didn't want to see.

"Why, Shinobu, nice of you to join us. This is the last stand in my battle, you realize? All the Squads are locked down, and three people are in fighting order. One is near death, and MIA. Don't you see you can't win?"

"If I take you down, this is all over, right?"

"It won't be that easy."

"Oh trust me, it will." she cut herself with a fingernail, causing a drop of blood to run down her arm. She wiped it off with her finger and looked at him.

"Bankai." she could feel her Spiritual Pressure spike as the drop of blood purified into water, and grew immensely, covering an entire sphere around her of water. She moved her hands from a praying pose to having them spread apart like she was pushing against two things. The sphere widened, and she turned her hands into fists. The water froze, along with Unohana and Isane, forming tiny rivulets of ice, sharpened to points. Sasake laughed.

"This is your pitiful Banaki?" she shut her eyes and dropped her hands, then opened them. The icicles stayed in place for a moment, then moved at lightning speed, piercing Sasake's body, melting, then freezing, molding to Sasake's scared figure. His eyes were wide now, and he realized just how much danger he was in. She pushed an inch further, and his skin started turning blue, the water in his body freezing.

"I will shatter you. That'll end this whole thing, right?" she bent her finger and a sickening crack spread through the area, one of his fingers falling to the floor. She resisted the urge to vomit.

"Miya?" she blinked, trying to keep her concentration.

"Yeah?"

"Good, we got on the network. Okay, we finished up with Squad Eight. Is everything alright there?"

"Not really. Wanna stop by?"

"I'll send Soifon. Going to go check on Byakuya-kun. I know where he is."

"Alright." within seconds, Soifon arrived and gaped at the frozen figure.

"What is this?"

"My Bankai. I can't kill him until I give the final command. But I can put him in loads of pain. Where is Yamamoto, Unohana?"

"He said he was going to check on Byakuya-kun. Should be back soon." as she finished, to figures flashed onto the platform, one stopping behind Sasake, one in front of her. She blinked and looked slightly up.

"Byakuya?"

"Back up."

"I can't. I'll lose concentration." as she spoke, the ice cracked a bit, and she stepped back in front of him, allowing it to refreeze.

"This is...?"

"My Bankai." she felt pressure on her elbow, like someone was elbowing her.

"He's trying to break out through his left elbow right now."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel the pressure on the ice. Now I need some instructions." Royal Guard members appeared.

"Release him, and they'll take him, and restrain him. Central 46 will decide his fate." the ice started breaking off in chunks, starting with his face. As soon as he could breathe, he started laughing hysterically.

"You think they can take me on? Are you retarded? I'm more powerful than you, Yamamoto!"

"He's insane."

"Yes." Unohana glanced at her.

"And you need to be healed."

"Eh?"

"I can feel what Kurotsuchi did." she turned red.

"But I like my strength."

"You'll only lose the bad part." she sighed, and watched the Royal Guard haul Sasake off. Byakuya turned her around and looked at her.

"What did he do?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about. Just a little problem."

"You broke a man's neck, Shihoin." she winced, feeling sick again. Soifon's gaze narrowed.

"Just be happy he wasn't on our side."

"You make me sound like a monster."

"All Kurotsuchi's potion did to your brain was release the true fighter inside you. Apparently, that woman does exactly what she's told, and shows no mercy." she winced again. They made her sound like a barbarian.

"Unohana, how long will it take? We probably need to squelch a few more squads before we move on to fixing damages done."

"An hour or two. I'll have to talk to Kurotsuchi first. I don't want you to do anything to serious though."

"I get it. I'm under room arrest."

"Infirmary arrest." she paused, her face lighting up, like it only had once before.

"Mom's baby!" she shunpoed off, and Byakuya looked at Yamamoto.

"You're on leave too." Byakuya followed his fiancee.

Shinobu watched from her position on the wall as Kisuke cradled the baby in his arms. In amazingly stark contrast to Shinobu herself, the baby was as dark skinned as Yoruichi, with gray eyes. With her luck, he'd have the purple black hair of their mother, and couldn't transform into a cat. Just to prove how different children can be. Kisuke sat on the edge of the hospital bed, where Yoruichi was trying to get the nurses to let her get up, but they insisted she stay down. Byakuya stood beside her, seeming uncomfortable.

"You can leave if this is too uncomfortable for you." she whispered. He looked at her like she was crazy.

"I got it wrong didn't I."

"Yes." she sighed.

"You're too hard to get a read on." the corners of his mouth twitched, threatening to betray his appearance of calmness.

"WHY WON'T YOU LET ME UP?" she looked at her mother.

"Calm down. You really don't remember anything. Even I know that after you give birth, you're stuck with bed rest for like, a week." Yoruichi gave her first child the evil eye and Shinobu laughed.

"You're in no position to be giving me tips, brain damaged child."

"Say what now?"

"Didn't Kisuke tell you? I thought he did, since he tells you everything." Shinobu glanced at her father, who was too fed up with the baby to pay attention.

"Okay, well, he was carrying you around one day, and you disappeared. He freaked out, then found you high up in a tree. Then you jumped and landed on your head." her eyes widened.

"Am I seriously brain damaged?" Kisuke looked up.

"That wasn't a proud parenting moment." Shinobu laughed again.

"Miya, promise me. When you have a kid, please pay more attention than your father did."

"I won't let him be as screwed up as she is."

"I'm still in the room." she rolled her eyes as her father laughed and said that he knew that. The trio of Shihoins fought for an hour on what to name the baby before Byakuya finally spoke up.

"How about Kazuya?" Shinobu paused and mouthed the name.

"It sounds perfect." she commented.

"Wow. Maybe you two should have a kid to see if he can do that again." the awkward silence was interrupted by a knock on the door. Unohana pushed it open.

"Shinobu-dono."

"Oh. Already? Okay."

"Wait, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Mom."

"Obviously it's something."

"No, it really isn't." she followed Unohana out, then looked back.

"And you! Stay here!" she smiled meekly at Byakuya, then flashed away after the Captain.

When she woke up, she was cold. Not like she was naked laying on snow cold, like she'd just changed into clothes that had been on top of a vent. And with that thought, she promptly checked her clothes, confirming that someone had changed them recently. The material was stiff, so it had been sitting still for a while, and it was considerably cold. The room she was in was bleached white, along with the table she was on. An operating room? She slid up, and her movements were shaky. She looked at a one way mirror, searching for a faint outline to tell her who was watching.

"Unohana?"

"Yes?" the voice came through speakers overhead.

"Why do I feel so unstable?"

"Give it a few minutes. The bug had attached itself to your motor function center. It was shaken up upon the death of the bug. Just exercise." Shinobu took her advice and placed her feet together, then pressed her hands flat to the floor, feeling the stretch in her hamstrings. Then, then spread her feet two feet apart, and put one hand flat against her foot, another on her ankle, her thigh stretching. She flipped, then moved into familiar stretches from when she played soccer when she was little. The Butterfly, Downer Dog, Quads, Arm Circles. She cracked her fingers when she was done, full motion back.

"Alrighty, I'm good to go. How long has it been?"

"Half an hour."

"That's good. Now why am I in pure white room?"

"We needed to observe you while you slept." a click sounded and she opened the door, then stretched her back, cracking that too.

"The others-ow-are still in Yoruichi's room, right?" Unohana stepped out of a room.

"Yes. But we thought you wouldn't mind if we did something else to your abilities." Shinobu's laid back mood disappeared, now on the defensive.

"What did you do?"

"We increased your muscle capabilities, and flexibilities. You could do back hand springs before, correct?"

"They were hard."

"Try them now." she made sure no one was behind her, and bent her knees, arms straight out in front of her, then pushed off, looked for the floor, landed in a hand stand, and pushed up again, landing on her feet.

"Woah that was easy."

"Now do you want to try a couple in a row?"

"This is a test isn't it." her happiness fell a bit.

"It is. But think of it this way, you'll be able to sneak around better." she grinned.

"Alright then." she braced herself again, and did four in a row, then moved onto front hand springs, and flips.

"This is really fun." she muttered.

"Alright. A front tuck, then a back handspring and we're good to go." She took a running start down the hallway that Yoruichi's room was in, then jumped, curling her body in, then spreading, rolling, and bouncing herself back up to do the back handspring. Unohana clapped.

"Good job."

"Can I go?"

"Definitely." she grinned and looked around to find everyone in Yoruichi's room staring her down. She opened the door.

"Can I help you guys with something?"

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"

"What?"

"Whatever you just did!"

"I've been doing that the whole way here. Unohana increased my flexibility and strength again. So now I can do that stuff, easy peasy." everyone was still gaping.

"What?"

"That looked almost inhuman."

"My bad."

"How far back can you stretch?" Shinobu moved away from the wall and bend backwards wrapped her fingers around her ankles.

"Oh mother of Christ." she let go and sprang back up.

"You're like rubber now."

"Great for sneaking around."


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry I haven't updated till late the night I usually do. Been stuck at a band compitition! So, again, sorry! S&D, I love you. **

"If Unohana can do that to her, imagine what they could do to Yoruichi." said woman smacked her husband, and Shinobu laughed, then paused.

"Hey, we gotta run, Dad."

"Huh?"

"Well, I'm going to scope out squads. Six, seven, and eight are clean. So, let's start with ten and work our way down."

"You never stop working." she rolled her eyes, then looked at Byakuya.

"You can stay here," he looked pained at that option, "Go check with Yamamoto, or come with me." she shunpoed off and he followed her. She could hear laughing coming from inside the barracks, and furrowed her brow, then jumped the wall easily. Ten people were bound by rope around the waist, sitting in a group in the corner of the barracks while others told stories.

"You guys got this under control?"

"They weren't hard to take. When is Lieutenant Matsumoto and Captain Hitsugaya coming back?"

"I don't know. Sorry." she gave them a half smile. She felt like the war was already done. Like all she had to worry about now was what to wear to her wedding. Grinning now, she moved on to Squad Two, skipping four so Unohana could take care of that one. She'd never seen anyone in Squad Two really, as most people assumed Squad Two was only Special Task Force. As it turned out, they were not even related except for captains. People she'd never seen in her life stared at her and Byakuya.

"Uh..." a yell sounded from somewhere, and out of nowhere, a man ran at her, Zanpakuto draw. Her eyes widened and she jumped back up onto the wall.

"The hell?" the man looked up at her.

"You've got to be part of the Rebel group!"

"Yeah. And Captain Kuchiki was chasing her down." the man jumped up onto the wall and she jumped off and to the ground.

"This wouldn't be the first time..." she muttered as another man ran at her and she tripped him, sending him sprawling into the dust. A woman from the group on the ground stood up and looked at her.

"Wait! She's not in the group!"

"We don't believe you!" a third man cried running at her. She caught his arm and again, as she had before, knocked him out with precise movements. The first and second men ran at her, and Byakuya flashed in front of her, holding out Senbonzakura. The men stopped dead run, as others came out. The woman from the group jumped over other people and joined him in protecting her.

"This is one of the most bizarre situations I've been in in a while." ten more men appeared from behind buildings and surrounded the trio.

"She's controlling Captain Kuchiki's mind with her Zanpakuto!" someone cried. The girl from the group turned around and looked at Shinobu.

"My name is Yuki. I know who you are. You're Shinobu Shihoin, and you two are engaged, right?" Shinobu nodded, glad that someone here was sane.

"And you refuse to use your Shikai on innocent people, so you're only going to fight with your hands, right?" she nodded again, now wondering how this girl knew all this. Suddenly, a yell sounded, a man breaking the circle and running towards them. Shinobu pushed the girl behind her, and with a swift kick, got the man on the ground. She knelt down, one knee in his gut.

"Are you all seriously this paranoid? Look, my Zanpakuto isn't even drawn. There's no purple ribbon. And why would a man with as much sense as Byakuya protect a rebel? Hm? He's already arrested me before, and that didn't end well." She smiled meekly as Yuki looked at the man over her shoulder.

"Am I ever wrong? Her name is Shinobu Shihoin. She's Yoruichi-sama's daughter. She's been in Soul Society for two months now. Get the facts people!" Byakuya pulled Shinobu up and off of the man.

"This seems to be a reoccurring thing..."

"Yeah..." the men regarded her warily as Byakuya questioned them.

"The Rebels in our squad are lurking around. We're having an internal struggle. We left these guys out here to lure them in, then we would attack. We never thought that the war outside our walls would be practically over. So that's why we're wary of Shinobu."

"'We're' being present tense." she muttered, drawing in the dirt. Yuki snuck up behind her.

"You've got a tattoo, right? Last I heard, you did."

"What are you, my personal stalker? 'Cause that position's been filled."

"I don't stalk you. I find you incredibly interesting though! Now, don't you have a tattoo?"

"I do, but you don't need to see it."

"What is it?"

"You're kinda creepy." Yuki stared her down.

"It says love."

"Where is it?"

"I SAID YOU DON'T NEED TO SEE IT!" she hissed. Yuki backed off. Suddenly, someone screamed and she whipped around. A man had a sword to a woman's throat. She stood up.

"Don't come any closer or I'll cut her head off!"

"It's over, man. Your leader is in custody, and Sasake is too. We've squelched almost all of you guys already. It over."

"It doesn't take much to flip Soul Society over. We can do this without Sasake-sama."

"Right. Just put her down. This is between you guys and us. She's not part of this."

"But she's a hostage. You don't want to lose anyone."

"Put her down."

"No." she took a minute to think.

"What do you want, really?"

"Specifically? You. You're the center of the fight. If you're gone, your side is going to break down. And, not to mention, we cut down your numbers again if we have you." she paused, then pulled Mizutateru out and set him on the ground. She held her hands at eye level.

"Let her go and I'll come over." he let go of the woman and she walked over, then grinned evilly.

"You're retarded." she swiftly knocked him out, then dropped him on the ground. She backed up to the woman.

"Are you alright?"

"You're a fool, Shihoin-sama. To give yourself up for one person."

"One person means everything sometimes. You shouldn't measure a life's value." her ear twitched as the sound of a sword unsheathing met her ears. She turned around to see that the first man who'd attacked her held her Zanpakuto in both his hands.

"What are you doing?" then she spotted the purple ribbon.

"Damn you." her eyes followed him as he moved away from the group.

"I've heard that when your Zanpakuto breaks, it hurts. This is a perfect time to test that." she made a quick calculation. It would take her seconds to get over there, but in that same time, he could break her Zanpakuto twice. Well, she took chances all the time. Now would be a great example. She shut her eyes for a second, then shunpoed towards him, her hands brushing the blade as his knee met it, breaking it in half. She shut her hand as her breath caught and screaming agony ripped through her body. She could feel the two halves in her hand, but that offered only a taste at relief from the pain echoing around her body. She fell to the ground, eyes shut, trying to counteract the pain in anyway possible. She could hear somebody taking the man out, and she flinched a blood spattered her. The pain was fading now, as it only hurt in the beginning, and the rest was echos. Arms wrapped around her body and she opened one eye.

"Sorry."

"Could have been worse." she shut her eye again, willing the pain to fade. She could feel the blood tricking down her hand from clutching the sharp blade. After a few moments, she opened both her eyes and looked up at Byakuya.

"Not the first time. Mom's broken my Zanpakuto before so I'd know how bad it hurt." she let go of the halves and they clattered to the ground. Sitting up, Byakuya left an arm around her to she wouldn't fall back. She looked behind her. The man was on the ground, bleeding, but not dead.

"What in the world did you do?" he didn't respond. As the last echos of pain faded away.

"Mizutateru is going to be pissed." she muttered, looking back at the people.

"I think you guys can deal with anyone else here, right? You're way better off than other squads." gingerly, she stood up, then grabbed the fragments of her sword and stuck them in the sheath.

"I can already hear my complaining Zanpakuto." she looked at Byakuya, who still wasn't looking happy.

"What's wrong?"

"I should have noticed that ribbon earlier."

"Oh don't even start! It wasn't your fault, end of story. Now what do you want to do?"

"Let's go give Unohana your Zanpakuto." she nodded and followed him away. _Did I worry him again? Damn. _They arrived at the Infirmary, and dropped off her Zanpakuto.

"Kuchiki-sama! Shihoin-sama! Are either of you injured?"

"No." Byakuya was definitely not happy.

"Are any of the other Captains up?"

"All of the Captains are up and able to return to their squads. As soon as they figured out Sasake was out for the count, people started turning up with cures to the poisons Captains were affected with. Lieutenants are getting there too."

"That's great. Now they can get their own squads back in order." she glanced at Byakuya, who nodded and left. Unohana looked at her.

"Something wrong?"

"I think he's mad at me again because I let them break my Zanpakuto. It's nothing much."

"He's just worried. All your injuries will take their toll someday."

"Yeah. When I'm eight hundred." she rolled her eyes and shunpoed off to Yamamoto's office. He glanced up at her.

"Anything else?" she asked. He finished what he was doing, then looked up at her.

"Get your parents." she nodded and shunpoed back to the Infirmary.

"Mom, Dad!"

"They're letting me leave!"

"Yay? Yamamoto wants us all."

"All three of us?"

"Four!" Urahara added. Yoruichi laughed.

"Yes." Yoruichi got up, now in her usual garb, and the group shunpoed back, Urahara holding Kazuya.

"You three helped greatly in preventing the Rebels from being successful. If you agree, we are missing three captains." Shinobu's crossed arms became uncrossed as her mouth fell open.

"You want us to become Captains?"

"You will go through the normal tests as soon as you're ready."

"I'll do it." Kisuke.

"Me too." Yoruichi. All three of the adults looked at her.

"Same." she said after a pause. _How will I break it to him if I make it? _

"Kisuke will go first."

"My Zanpakuto is broken. I'll contact you when it is repaired."

"Alright. Dismissed." the trio dispersed, Shinobu shunpoed to the beach on Shihoin property. She picked up a rock and threw it into the rapids.

"Hey," she started, trying to figure out how to break it to him, "Uh, how would you feel if I told you I applied to be a captain?" she paused for a heart beat, "No. That doesn't work. Ugh it doesn't matter how I think about this, he's not going to like it one bit."

"You talking about Nii-sama?" she gave out a little shriek.

"Rukia!"

"What are you doing out here?"

"I think you know that."

"You applied to be a captain?"

"More like I was given the offer, and agreed to take the test."

"So what are you worrying about?"

"Your brother seems to have some sort of complex. He seriously worries about me. Whatever it is, he worries tons when I get hurt, which is a lot. If I become a Captain, chances are I'll get hurt more. He may completely frown on it. Also, I know working together is going to really test our relationship..."

"What are you worrying about?" Rukia sat down beside her, "Nii-sama worries about you because you get hurt. Well, doesn't everyone worry about the person they love when they get hurt? He may be a bit worried about you becoming a Captain, but he won't say no. And, I don't think the, 'Too much of a good thing,' really applies to you two. You've practically been glued together since he got you out of the river." Shinobu winced.

"Plus, even if it does effect you, the constant worrying will mend the cracks, if you know what I mean. It proves you really do love eachother. You've been working together for weeks now."

"And have fought only once."

"And that was on...?" Shinobu rolled her eyes.

"I wanted to work, and wasn't in good shape yet. Nothing new."

"Definitely not."

"Alright then, you've made your point." Shinobu chucked another rock into the river, then looked at Rukia.

"Now come up with the perfect way to tell him." now this perplexed Rukia. She came to the same problem Shinobu had.

"It seems like anyway you tell him, he'll find something to be wrong about it."

"Now you see my problem." she laid down and looked up at the sky. Clouds drifted past. She couldn't imagine being a cloud, the boringness of only moving one direction, then disappearing into rain. But for some people, she guessed, they would like it, because it's lazy, and nothing dangerous ever happens. Raining is a natural way to go for clouds. Like dying in your sleep.

"I got it!" she sat up and looked at Rukia.

"HOW?"

"Because you're so straight forward, and you're so bad at keeping secrets, you never ever would do this!"

"Tell me."

"Just don't tell him."

"EH?"

"Don't tell him! If you make it, you go to the next meeting, then say, 'Surprise?' Then if he gets mad, explain the situation." She put a finger to her chin and thought about that.

"That actually makes sense. And it's not lying or keeping a secret if I just don't think about it." Rukia didn't trust her at all. She grimaced, then stuck her tongue out at Rukia.

"You act like you're my age!"

"My bad. Am I supposed to be mature? If you hadn't noticed, your brother and I are polar opposites."

"Which makes this engagement all the more strange. No offense."

"None taken. Just wait until your elders see the real me."

"They already have." Shinobu laughed, then jumped when a man in black knelt before her.

"Shihoin-sama, your Zanpakuto." he held out her blade and a sly grin slid onto her features.

"What are you thinking?"

"The sooner the better, right?" the grin she'd tried to conceal burst through, and Rukia shook her head.

"You're moronic."

"Be nice to people twice your age."

"Maybe physically. Mentally, I'm four times older than you."

"Hush, child." she dismissed the black clad man, then stood up and patted Rukia's head like she was a dog, just to annoy her.

"I'll be back eventually, alright? If anyone wonders, I'm out in the woods somewhere." Shinobu shunpoed off to find Yamamoto, and ended up waiting outside a training area, feeling her mother's Spiritual Pressure fluctuating. Minutes later, Yoruichi flashed out, passing over her daughter completely. Shinobu slid inside and looked to Yamamoto, who was getting up. Ukitake said something and Yamamoto turned around. Shinobu spun her Zanpakuto around on her hand in a circle. He sat back down and pressed a button.

"Shikai."

Exhausted, Shinobu slumped to the ground on the cliff's edge, leaning on a tree. Technically, if Rukia had to tell anyone where she was, she wasn't exactly _lying _now. Just, fixing the truth. Minutes later, a shuffling sound met her ears and she turned around, then almost gasped, but she caught herself. The whole group of Kuchiki elders had managed to sneak up on her. Which was kind of sad, and creepy at the same time.

"Shinobu Shihoin."

"Hi." she faced them, while trying to keep her posture relaxed.

"We are here to offer you are blessings. You are to be married to our lord, and that makes us happy. He could not have picked better." _That's what you think _now_._

"You guys don't need to flatter me or anything." whispers started flying around the pack as the main continued talking. She trained half her attention on him, and focused on the whispers.

"She's so modest!"

"I know. I truly wonder if she was a god given blessing."

"As do I."

"Maybe she's faking it." a slap sounded and the area fell silent. Shinobu jumped to her feet and the group spread to reveal a shaking Kikuchi, and a slightly younger elder with a red hand mark.

"What happened?"

"I-i-i-i'm sorry, I acted without thought."

"Kikuchi, what happened?"

"I'm so sorry..."

"Kikuchi." she shook him a bit, and broke him out of his stupor.

"Nakamura had suggested that you were faking being so modest." She narrowed her eyes at the Nakamura fellow, then put her hands on Kikuchi's shoulders.

"It's alright. He's allowed to have his own opinions. Just perhaps voicing them around me isn't wise, but that's his decision. Calm down." he took a deep breath.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Why don't you go back to the house? I'll come make you some food. Anything you want."

"I do not want to impose on you."

"It's not going to impose on me. What do you want to eat?"

"I-" he paused at the look on her face, "Spaghetti."

"Thank you." she watched the group shuffle back to the house, many elders helping Kikuchi, and only two others talking with Nakamura.

"Let's just not tell Byakuya, shall we?" as soon as they entered the house, she ran over, not bothering with Shunpo. Panting, she washed her hands and got out the appropriate things, then started with boiling a pot of water. A few minutes later, she dropped the noodles in, then got out a couple of tomatos and a bowl. She cut them open and took out the hard insides and seeds, then started chopping them up, and added a variety of spices, then mashed it all together, and let is simmer on the stove. She turned back to her noodles, and estimated how much longer. Braving her chance, she sprinted from the kitchen to look for Kikuchi.

"Hey, do you want meatballs?"

"Yes please."

"Alrighty." she ran away again and found a package of meatballs, then heated them up for ten minutes. Then she took the noodles out and put them on a plate, took off the pot of sauce, and spread it on top, then drop four meatballs on. When she exited the kitchen, Kikuchi was sitting at the table, eyes closed, breathing even. She set the plate down, and knelt behind him, hands on his shoulders.

"Kikuchi." he jumped as he woke up, and the smell of spaghetti met his nose.

"Mmmm. I wonder where she went?" she stood up straight and walked around the table.

"Oh! There you are! It smells amazing."

"Go ahead and try it." she handed him a fork, and he tried it.

"Oooh. It's so good!" she smiled. He succeeded in finishing half the plate before a coughing fit took over. She rose from her knees.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes." he coughed after it had passed.

"Just a little sick."

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"Oh yes. It's just a stupid cold."

"Alright then." she sat back down and he finished eating, making lighthearted remarks until he'd finished. He nodded and said thank you, then left. She sat at the table, worried.

"Shinobu-chan!" Rukia looked at her and she looked up, then smiled.

"Is something wrong? Did you mess up during the test?"

"No. I did fine. I'm worried about Kikuchi."

"Isn't he an elder?"

"Yeah. He's kinda of become my friend. And he had a bad coughing fit a few minutes ago."

"Well, he's been sick for a couple years. And he is the oldest elder."

"What is he sick with?"

"He's got lung cancer." Shinobu took a deep breath, then smiled.

"He's a survivor. That's for sure." Rukia nodded. Shinobu picked up his plate and returned it to the sink.

"So how is everything in the Squads?"

"There's a lot of rebuilding going on."

"I'd think so. I've wrecked my fair share of buildings since I've come." Rukia laughed.

"You haven't really wrecked that many. Damaged, yes. Damaged our numbers, but that would happen either way." Shinobu paused.

"It's not over. There is no way we got everyone." as she finished speaking, a black clad man stopped in front of her.

"Wow. Are you the same one as earlier?"

"Yes. General Yamamoto has requested your presence."

"Alright. Rukia?"

"Yeah, I know. My lips are sealed." Shinobu shunpoed off. _I think I'll take a walk when I get home. _She thought bitterly, realizing that she'd shunpoed everywhere recently. She stopped at the balcony, and not finding him there, she walked straight to the meeting room. She could hear voices come out from the room, and waited until her parents arrived.

"Ha! I got here before you."

"You're easier to track down." Yoruichi handed her the baby, and Shinobu looked down at him.

"He looks so different then me. For all we know, he'll be calm, patient, and rational. Hm. That sounds like Byakuya." she laughed, then gave him back to Yoruichi.

"Not my kid." the doors started opening, and she tried in vain to erase all emotion from her face, a faint smile flirting with her lips. She had no idea what Yamamoto had said, but _everyone _was staring at her like she was a miracle from god. Well, except one person, who looked utterly surprised. Yoruichi and Kisuke started forward, and she followed, almost over shadowing her parents.

"These three are the new Captains?"

"I wonder if they came back for just that reason?"

"They're the best suited."

"Yoruichi is back. Maybe things will steady out." she rolled her eyes, and copied her parents exactly.

"Yoruichi Shihoin. Kisuke Shihoin. Shinobu Shihoin-"

"Soon to be Kuchiki." someone muttered a little loudly. She turned around, and watched Kyoraku, who had turned bright red after attracting all the gazes around the room.

"You three were offered positions as captains, and all agreed to take the tests. And all passed. Do you still wish to keep this positions?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Yes." she was feeling awkward, feeling most gazes in the room on her.

"Kisuke Shihoin, you will be placed in Squad Nine. Shinobu Shihoin, you will be placed in five." she looked back at Momo, who smiled at her. _This'll take a while for her to warm up to me. _

"Yoruichi Shihoin, you are a complicated problem. We understand that your skills are vital to Squad Two, but the other Squad is Three. So, if Soifon agrees, we have planned that you lead three, and become sub captain for Two. Not a Lieutenant, but like an adviser. Do you agree?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then. Report to my private room after this meeting and we'll get you your haori. Dismissed. People went straight up to Yoruichi and Kisuke, but only Byakuya bothered to come over to Shinobu.

"You didn't tell me?"

"Sorry. Didn't have time. Surprise?" he wrapped his arms around her.

"Congratulations." she laughed.

"And we thought for sure that you'd be mad at me."

"'We'?"

"Uh, I meant to say I." he released her and looked at her skeptically. She grinned.

"Rukia."

"I'm a horrible liar aren't I."

"Very." she sighed and he chuckled.

"General Yamamoto and Captains, sorry to disturb, but we just found the squad of Royal Guard members meant to escort Sasake unconscious." Shinobu's playful grin disappeared.

"Where?"

"I-"

"Hold on." everyone looked at Byakuya.

"If he's escaped again, then he might be rallying his people." she paused in thought.

"Which means we should do the same, right?"

"We need a scout first." Yoruichi interjected.

"I'll do it."

"I'll go." Both Shinobu and Byakuya managed to say at the same time. They looked at eachother.

"No." again, at the same time.

"How about you both go?"

"NO." Shinobu was slightly louder, but again, the same word.

Shinobu shunpoed from tree to tree, moving quickly in the direction of the clearing. This group wasn't so smart sometimes. Byakuya followed behind her, following her path exactly to make sure that no branches snapped underneath either of them. She dropped to the ground and looked around in the clearing. She walked towards a large boulder, and found a trail of twigs.

"Over here. Let's wait for someone else to come." she pulled herself up into a tree and crouched there. _I can't believe they made us both go. _Byakuya pulled himself up in the tree opposite her. Her haori felt loose on her back, and it was totally not something she was used to feeling. She pressed herself flat to the branch and tucked her arms up against her, then turned her head so she could see the line of twigs. Her luck held out, and someone came within half an hour. They started following the path, and she bunched herself up, then jumped to the next branch. This was going to be a slow journey.

By the time they arrived, it was at least another half an hour later. She was tired from being so tense, and just wanted to stretch right now, but she bunched herself up again, then leaned back against the tree's trunk. Byakuya landed next to her.

"I'll stay here. Do you wanna get closer?"

"I'll go. You stay." she was about to say something, but changed her mind. Fighting isn't what they needed. He disappeared, and she focused everything on listening, and making sure no one got near her.

"Is everyone finally here?" someone called.

"Yes!" someone else responded. Sasake stood up of a stump and scanned over the _huge _crowd.

"You all have a deep hatred to the social system. You want average Soul Reapers to get more respect, from everyone, right? Captains and Lieutenants reserve all the respect. Can't we have some? Join me! Tonight, there will be a Captain meeting to assess the situation. We attack then! Bring your Zanpakuto!" shouts rose of from the crowd, and she grimaced.

"Did you hear that?" she glanced behind her. Two Soul Reapers, both men, stood two trees back, listening in. She'd noticed them earlier, but hadn't thought anything of them.

"Yeah. We really need to go tell Kuchiki-sama." she paused.

"Byakuya." she hissed through the mic in her ear.

"Yes?"

"Got two morons from your Squad here."

"Lead them away." she moved to a back branch and dropped down.

"You two." she hissed. They looked at her.

"Shihoin-sama!"

"SHH! You don't know the meaning of stealth. What are your names?" she turned the sensitivity on her mic up.

"Nagaki Abe,"

"Kyo Sohma."

"Those two? I'll be right there. Get them away."

"Was that Captain's voice?"

"I SAID SHUSH." she turned the sensitivity back down, then led them farther into the woods, hoping they were far enough to not be seen or heard after about three hundred feet.

"Shinobu." she turned around.

"I thought you got lost."

"No." he looked at his Squad members, who stared at him.

"Are you two part of the group?" Nagaki whimpered.

"We should be asking you that. Why are you here?"

"We'd heard some rumors about some club changing meeting spots, and thought it was suspicious, so we came here."

"You're lucky no one caught you."

"Go back to your barracks, and keep low and silent until further notice." they disappeared and she looked at him.

"What if other stupid people come by?"

"They must have guards set up. We can't deplete our side anymore."

"I'll make a quick sweep. We'll stay here until this meeting adjourns."

"Alright. Be careful."

"You too." she flashed away, making four quick rounds, and counting up the guards. There were eight guards in all, four near, four far. She settled back down in a tree, occasionally moving trees. Forty three minutes later, people were still sitting there, milling around.

"Nothing's happening."

"I know. I think they're staying here until it's time. Leave your mic on the tree. Sensitivity all the way up."

"Alright. I'll meet you back in front of the meeting room?"

"Yes." she pulled the mic out of her ear and hung it on a branch. Just as she dropped down, she heard something in the mic on the tree.

"Oi, Shinobu-chan." she paused and looked up.

"I know you can hear me. I can see you right now. You're not going to be able to tell Yamamoto. We'll catch you."

"Try me." she shunpoed off, as fast as her speed would allow. She saw no one on the way. She stopped in Yamamoto's office and he looked at her. She was gasping for air, but that didn't matter.

"They're planning on having a war. Someone knows that there was going to be a meeting tonight."

"I hadn't announced that."

"Well then, someone's got spies. I left my mic there so we could listen in, but either they got Byakuya, or they found his mic." as she spoke, said person arrived, also out of breath.

"Or they got his mic." she adjusted her sentence.

"They want to attack while we're in the meeting." Byakuya added. Shinobu thought for a minute.

"We should gather everyone up in some huge, windowless room nearby, so they can receive a message from us when they attack. We go on and pretend like the meeting is normal. You say whatever, then we send a message as soon as we're attacked." Byakuya looked at her, and she glanced over.

"Surprised that I can stop and think?" Yamamoto was silent for a moment.

"That sounds like a good plan. I'll alert the other captains. Dismissed." she exited via the doors this time, and waited outside.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"Did you leave your mic there too?" he grimaced.

"No."

"Oh?" a faint breeze blew across the hall and shifted his haori so she could see the red stain.

"Jesus Christ! Did he stab you?" no response. She moved his haori so she could see the wound better. It didn't go all the way through, but it was still bleeding.

"You're a liar."

"You didn't need to worry."

"That's all I do besides work. It's not like you don't worry about me."

"You're injury prone."

"Just because you're not doesn't mean I can't worry about you. We need to take you to Unohana." she winced at the thought of going to the infirmary, even for someone else.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. It puts you in more danger if you're injured when we start fighting." she put her fingers by it and he winced. It took him a mere three seconds to decide.

"Fine."

"See, you're not so stubborn." she looked at him, then took a hold of his wrist, and took it at a slow shunpo. Even as they arrived, she could see him hurting. Which was kind of odd, considering he never showed hurt.


	13. Chapter 13

Shinobu sat in a chair in Byakuya's current room. Isane was still healing him, and it had been nearly an hour. Her head rested in her hand, and she could feel herself nodding off. She mentally slapped herself awake. Isane seemed to sense Shinobu's impatience.

"I'm so sorry Kuchiki-sama. Something is... It starts to heal, then something sparks and everything I do unravels again." the first words she'd heard in over an hour. That was good enough for her.

"Maybe there was something on Sasake's sword?" a pause.

"It's an illusion." he got up.

"The wound is an illusion?"

"It's been healed. She's not healing anything now." Shinobu blocked the door.

"So we need to break the illusion."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. He can make it hurt like hell, then you'll be crippled." she winced, images of the first time Sasake had used his shikai on her resonating through her head. He paused. _What broke it the first time? _She knew exactly what. But Isane was in the room. _Pain. _She could break it on herself first. She moved her arms behind her back and dug her fingernails in.

"So how do we get rid of it? I'll go find Unohana-sama." she left, and Shinobu sucked in a breath as her nails broke skin. The wound vanished, and she released the air, the brought her arms out from behind her. Blood was dripping down her arm, and she quickly found an alcohol pad and started cleaning.

"Did you just stab yourself with your nails?"

"It worked." she shrugged, and started wrapping her own arm, until she dropped the roll, and realized that she was shaking. Byakuya picked it up and finished wrapping her arm for her. He pulled it taught, and ripped it from the roll, bringing their bodies closer. They looked up at the same time, and their lips met. She could feel the shift as the shikai attack broke, but didn't pull away. His hand slid up to the back of her neck, and she smiled slightly, then wrapped her arms around his waist. After a minute, he pulled away, and she waited a minute, then let go, just as Isane opened the door.

"I couldn't find Unohana. Sorry." the Lieutenant looked at the two captains.

"Oh! You're alright now! So it was an illusion?"

"Yes."

"Oh that's good. I thought I was failing as a Lieutenant." Shinobu laughed.

"Isane, you're amazing. There's no way you'd be failing." she smiled at the Lieutenant, who turned bright red, obviously not used to compliments.

"Well, you two can go then, I guess..." Isane left, and she looked at Byakuya.

"Where to?" he paused.

"Back to my division. You should go to your own." she nodded, and they parted ways. She stopped in Squad Five, and everyone looked at her, then they spotted her haori, which she still wanted to shred. Momo walked up to her, then bowed.

"Oh, please don't do that."

"Why not? You're our captain, aren't you? You're also a Shihoin."

"I wasn't raised with formalities. They kind of scare me." Momo smiled. It was a sad smile, and Shinobu felt somewhat disappointed.

"What's wrong, Hinamori?"

"Nothing."

"Don't nothing me. I have super senses. Plus, your smile is definitely not a happy one. So I'll ask again. What's wrong?" she paused.

"I don't want to fight. We just got out of a war. I'm afraid a lot of people will get hurt this time. And, I don't want Shiro-kun that hurt again." Shinobu smiled.

"He's not going to get hurt again. He's a Captain. We're not fighting Arrancar. We're not fighting Espada. We're not fighting Aizen. We're fighting our own people. We know them, and we now how to get them down and out without anyone being severely hurt. Don't worry about it Hinamori." Shinobu paused. She didn't feel like she was done.

"Nobody is going to get really hurt. I promise. Now, why don't you go talk to Toshiro? He probably hasn't seen you much in a while." a real smile lit up her face, and she was gone. Shinobu rolled her eyes, grinning. A Hell Butterfly fluttered over and landed on her finger. She brought it over to her ear.

"All Captains come to the meeting at six o'clock. Make the announcement about the party to your squads. It is in Division One Holding Cells at five thirty. It is mandatory."

"What an odd place to hold a party." she murmured, then got up, and pulled the nearest member aside.

"Captain Shihoin!"

"Don't even start calling me that yet. How can I get everyone together, quickly?"

"Well, we've got this gong that sounds out all over the barracks."

"And everyone is here?"

"A bunch of people just left, actually, saying they were going into the woods or something to look for a lost dog." she grimaced a little. It wasn't just in the few Ai had told her of. It was also in her Squad.

"Alright. Is there any other-"

"All Squad members report to their respective captains immediately!" she shook her head.

"Way to go, Yamamoto-sama." people started gathering, and after a few minutes, she knew she had everyone, excluding the "pet search squad".

"Alright. There is a... party tonight. It's mandatory. If you don't go, you will be punished. I'm not kidding. It's a five thirty tonight, in the Squad One Holding Cells."

"Why there?"

"Eh, not exactly sure. Everything will be explained there. Who this is for, why, and how. Get it?"

"We've got fifteen minutes." she cursed under her breath.

"Well, start going! I've got a Captains meeting to go to." people scattered, fairly quickly, daunted by the punishment. She took a deep breath, then shunpoed to Rangiku's room. She finished up with relaying the message, and her people scattered.

"Rangiku."

"What's up?"

"You're in on this, right?"

"Oh yeah. How this is all-"

"Don't say it. I'm worried that people are going to think this is a joke."

"They won't." Shinobu paused.

"What did you threaten them with?"

"My paperwork." Shinobu laughed.

"Well, it got them moving." Rangiku agreed, then told her she should probably go. Shinobu nodded, and Rangiku disappeared. Toshiro stepped out of his office and looked at her.

"Do you need something?"

"I was talking with Rangiku." she shunpoed off to Squad Nine. Urahara had finished, and people scrambled to get going. He looked at her.

"Something wrong?"

"I'm worried."

"You're always worried."

"Quiet." she hugged him, then rested her head on his chest for a minute, then looked back up at him.

"I needed that. Thank you."

"Anything for my baby girl." she laughed.

"You've got a baby boy to fawn over."

"Good point. But I wouldn't abandon you."

"Maybe. I gotta go though. See you at the meeting." he nodded, and she shunpoed back to her own division. She now actually had a goal. He'd said he wouldn't abandon here. Well, Sasake wouldn't leave her alone. She needed a kido spell that wouldn't explode on contact, but if she said a code word, it would activate. She set to work.

Shinobu shunpoed back to the meeting room, where many captains already were, her anticipation building. Her hand was coated with a fine layer of dust she'd made. Her one word, and it would reactivate quickly into a Shakkaho. She took her spot and picked at her fingernails, waiting for her family to arrive. Yoruichi arrived, smiled at her, and walked over.

"Where's the baby?"

"Oh, he's with an elder at the Manor. I can't really keep him here. It's bad for a child to grow up around the Squads. Just look how you turned out!" she smacked her mother, lightly, but both could feel the dark mood, and were trying to keep it all light hearted.

"Uh, you can blame that on Dad. He neglected me."

"I would say it was more bad parenting." Urahara entered at that moment.

"Who are we talking about?" both women looked at eachother, then shook their heads.

"No one."

"Really?"

"Captains." Urahara and Yoruichi left, and Byakuya slid in last second.

"Rebuilding is going well, with all the things that have been hurt recently." Shinobu turned red. Lots of those were her fault.

"And our numbers are back up from the Winter War." _From people who killed themselves, or killed others, for Aizen. But those numbers will be down again soon._ She sighed quietly. Yamamoto rambled on and on, but her mind was elsewhere. Then she heard it. The first mistake to be made tonight. Someone had snapped a twig in half outside.

"Now!" she whipped around just as people broke through the windows. She kept her left hand away as she quickly incapacitated her first victim. The powder was almost gone, sinking into her skin for now, but not completely gone. She hit another person with her foot, then stopped and looked around.

"He's not in here."

"Who?" Byakuya stood beside her, and knocked an attacker out.

"Sasake." he too, paused, and looked around.

"Go." she nodded, then shunpoed out the broken window, passed the reinforcements surrounding the building, to the holding cells. She threw open the doors. Everyone inside was solemn faced.

"GO." and then the room was empty, save Rangiku, who walked over to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to finish something."

"Shinobu-"

"Don't bother. My mind is made up. Hopefully, I won't die from this." she smiled sadly at Rangiku, then shunpoed off. Around and around the building she went, wider each time, searching. Searching, for what exactly? She wasn't sure. Just something. Out of order. Out of the normal place. Then she found something. A sound. Male voices, low and hushed. She stopped in her tracks, then paused. _I need to get as hurt as he thinks he can do. Then hopefully, this will all play out exactly as I planned. _She crept closer, then ducked behind a bush and listened.

"We've broken in, sir."

"Good. Has anyone seen Byakuya or Shinobu?"

"Byakuya-sama is indeed in there, but Shinobu-sama disappeared a few minutes ago."

"Did anyone follow her?"

"She was too fast, sir." she shook her hand faintly. It was good to go. She could hit people with both hands now.

"Please, no! I beg of you-" his scream was cut short, and a thud sounded. She peered through. His head lay several feet from his body. Grimacing, she turned her gaze back to Sasake, who looked disappointed.

"And I thought he was a good one."

"Sorry sir."

"Find her!" everyone else disappeared. _Now. _She shunpoed behind him.

"Good to see you here. I sent everyone away, just for you. Though I am sad that I had to kill one of my men. He was loyal, and a good tracker."

"Not good enough for you, apparently." she muttered. He sighed.

"I'm nit picky." her mouth twitched, and she dove at him, nailing him in the gut with her fist. He grunted, then moved away.

"Lucky shot." his mouth twitched into a smile, and they flew at eachother, locking swords. She pressed against her own sword, putting all of her weight into it.

"Today is the day you die."

"I should say the same. Too bad you never got married."

"Too bad your girlfriend killed herself." she shot back. All joking was gone, and she knew she'd hit a soft spot. He threw her back, and she slid to a stop.

"Soft spot, Sasake? You know, after thinking about that period for a while, I began to think that maybe other things were weighing on her, you know?" she launched at him again, and he pushed harder than before. When she was done, he should be plenty mad enough.

"I think, that she wanted out. But you wouldn't let her. You loved her, and wanted her to have something better. She still wanted out though, so you promised to marry her. That put her on track. But then, other problems came up. She couldn't make it to meetings, you two fought. Your love life was falling apart at the seams." he threw her back again, and she moved forward and slashed at him. He blocked her.

"That's not true."

"I'm not done. So, she said she didn't want to do this anymore. You didn't understand. She said she couldn't deal with this. This pain. The anger. The yelling. Everything! You two got into a big fight. Then, the next day, she did one last thing for you. Pretended to be you, and shot at me. Then, she killed herself." she jumped back. He was pissed, and flew at her. Second mistake of the night, he let his anger take control. In the end, it would lead to his ultimate death.

"We fought, yes. But we still loved eachother. We persevered."

"She killed herself because of you, Sasake." she pushed him away, and he sliced at her, catching her shoulder that she'd left open. Flinching with the pain, she dodged the next hit, and struck at him.

"THAT WAS YOUR FAULT." he hit her again, and she cried out, then tried, in vain, to block his next attack. He slammed her into a tree, and she coughed up blood. He stuck his sword through her, and she cried out again. She needed to start trying. She kicked him back, and he pulled his sword out with him. She slid to the ground, and then he flew at her again. She dodged, Zanpakuto dragging behind her. Suddenly, Sasake's figure warped in Byakuya.

"You know the best thing about my Zanpakuto? It can convince your brain that you're being attacked and your skin will rip open on it's own. Scatter, Senbonzakura." the pink petals floated around, then flew straight at her. She felt every cut like a knife, despite her efforts to break the hypnosis. It stopped, and he kicked her back into a tree.

"How's it feel? Watching someone who looks like your lover kill you? Weren't you going to kill me? Or can you not do that now that I look like Byakuya?" he walked over and picked her up by the collar of her uniform. A faint smile played with her lips.

"Genbaku." she whispered

"What was that?" he hadn't heard her clearly.

"Were you saying you give up?" the red ball charged.

"Time to meet your maker, Sasake." she lifted her left hand up, and the red ball exploded.

Shinobu's eyes slowly opened, and she almost sighed. She was still alive. But she stopped herself. Was Sasake? A faint beeping reached her ears as her vision cleared.

"She's comatose, Kuchiki-sama. There isn't anything we can do." _I'm not comatose, stupid. _Then she felt the pain. The unbelievable, burning pain. She uttered a cry of pain, and the steady beeping picked up to a frantic beeping. The door swung open.

"Morphine! Someone get me morphine!" her cry of pain had turned silent. Everything fell into place. Whenever they found her, she must've been severely burned. But her face didn't hurt. Her mind spun, trying to figure out why. Suddenly, someone stuck something into her arm, and the pain faded away. After five minutes, she could move enough to shift.

"I feel crispy." were her first words. Despite the situation, the nurse laughed.

"I would expect. You've got a couple second degree burns. But they're healing fast. Unohana will be in here later to speed it up a bit. We thought you weren't going to wake up, and I think Kuchiki-sama was going to throw a cow. He still might. We're not letting him in."

"What happened?"

"From what we could figure out, your Shakkaho blew up, and incincerated Sasake. And your Zanpakuto's blade. But you've got the hilt, and they're gathering shards. Anyway, Sasake died, and your Zanpakuto shattered, then formed a protective barrier around your face, and other parts. Like around your heart. You had a damn smart Zanpakuto. You were buried under rubble and ashes... for a long time."

"How long?"

"Thirty days." she gaped. The nurse gave her a look of pity, then recommended she be asleep when Unohana came in. She nodded faintly, confused. _Thirty days? Wouldn't Byakuya have turned the place upside down? No. Maybe... maybe he gave up. Maybe he figured that some greater power just didn't want him happy. Maybe he thought I was incinerated too. Or maybe somebody kept him from going, afraid he would find my extra crispy body. _She shook her head, then laughed.

"I sound like a petty sixteen year old." suddenly curious, she lifted up the sheets, and held back a small amount of vomit. Her skin was bright pink, a lot of popped blisters everywhere, and dried blood in other places. Her mouth twitched as she dropped the sheet again and rolled over on her side.

"Let me inside."

"That's a bad idea. I recommended she be asleep when Unohana comes."

"Why?"

"She's pumped with morphine. The first thing that'll happened is that the morphine will go. She'll be in extreme pain. But we need to get her healed. She should be fine in a few days." And with that news, she slipped off into a morphine fueled sleep.

She awoke to a flaming world. Not literally, but that's what it felt like. It felt like her whole body had gone up in flames and she couldn't do anything. But she was aware that something was slowly smoothing the edge, making it blunt. She opened her eyes.

"You're awake? That's good. Is the pain a lot?" Shinobu shook her head. It was bearable, considering what she'd actually been through.

"That's good. I've been healing you for a while now, so it's also good that the morphine just went away."

"How long?"

"An hour."

"Can you tell me everything? I got the basics. But I want to know why it took... thirty days." Unohana's smile faltered, then fell flat.

"You weren't our only injury. You were, by far, the worst, but no where near the only. We had dozens, but most were minor gashes. Byakuya... was in and out in a matter of minutes, shrugging it off, asking if you'd checked in. When we told him no, he panicked. We told him that we were still battling a large fire, that you were most likely the source of. The good news, was that Sasake hadn't been found either. After a week, the fire was gone, and everything was in lumpy ash piles. They combed through, and that took another two weeks. When they found you, you were hard caked with ash, and Sasake, was completely gone. We had to scrub you down viciously. Then we found your burns, and started pumping fluids." Shinobu closed her eyes. She should have figured that was the case. He wouldn't have given up on her. Unohana, after another thirty minutes, let out a triumphant laugh.

"You're good to go. Burns are all gone. You'll be stiff, but with your accelerated healing, and abilities, you'll be stretchy in no time. Your new haori and uniform are right over here. You need to find me when you're done. We're still healing people, who keep opening their wounds again." Shinobu laughed, and got up. Her skin was smooth, and her perpetual tan remained, but all of her battle scars, and calluses, gone. Poof. She was smooth as a baby's butt. Shuddering after Unohana left, she got dressed, scared that her clothes might rip open her skin. But after a few minutes of experimenting, she found it was just as tough as her old skin. And it didn't take her more than a few minutes to rebuild a few of her calluses on her hands, swinging around like a monkey on metal bars. Finally satisfied, she opened the door, and made a left, then came to a dead stop like she'd run into a wall. Byakuya was talking in a hushed voice with a nurse. The nurse's eyes flickered to Shinobu, and she twitched, a new bad habit. He continued talking like nothing had happened, and. feeling playful now, despite everything, Shinobu snuck up behind Byakuya. In a break in the arguing, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

His head turned and he looked at her, clearly stunned. As was the nurse in front of him.

"Unohana said you'd be a half an hour more." Shinobu smiled a bit.

"She knows me so well. I was swinging around on bars in there. Rebuilding my calluses." she picked up a hand and showed it to the nurse.

"Your hands are pink."

"Of course. I've been pulling my skin around." she rolled her eyes, then set her hand back down. The nurse shook her head.

"Shinobu Shihoin, you are a piece of work."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the nurse just walked away, and Byakuya turned around, adjusting Shinobu so she was leaning on his chest.

"Why?"

"Why was I swinging around?"

"Why did you blow yourself up?" her mood plummeted.

"You don't understand. I knew you wouldn't."

"I just want to know why."

"Because all other times I'd tried to kill him, it never worked. All I did was turn some kido into dust, and let it sink into my skin. When I said Genbaku, it came back, just as large as before. It killed him, didn't it?"

"And almost killed you." she sighed.

"You don't understand at all."

"'Sometimes you have to put yourself at risk to be happy.'" she pursed her lips.

"Don't quote my words."

"Nanami told me. You did it so the rest of us could be happy, right? So you could have a semi-normal life?"

"Sort of. I did it so everyone else could have easy lives, regardless of what happened to me. Yes-" she stopped his next words, "I knew I would end up hurting a lot of people if I died, but a year from now? Everything would be fine." Byakuya paused. Then a cry sounded.

"Shinobu-sama!" Byakuya's eyes widened and he released Shinobu, then moved to the side as Nanami slammed into her, taking them both to the ground. Stunned, she laid still for a second.

"Jesus Christ Nanami."

"I love you! Oh I love you so much! Don't ever almost die on me again! It's been too many times, you hear me? This is like, five or six now! No more! I'm going to lock you in your room and make sure there is nothing in there that can possibly hurt you." Shinobu laughed.

"Nanami, locking me up would hurt me. Society is my air. Now, you're crushing my ribs. Get off." Nanami rolled off and Shinobu got up and brushed her clothes off. Yoshiro walked down the hallway, grinning.

"Do you know how much you and Nanami are alike?" he came up and put an arm around Nanami's shoulders.

"Oh? Are you two a thing? What happened to Takuma?"

"He said he couldn't take my drama." Shinobu scoffed.

"That bastard. I should kick his ass." Nanami shook her head.

"Anyway, we gotta go soon. Oh, and um..." Shinobu narrowed her eyes, as she could feel Byakuya tense behind her.

"Kikuchi died." she bit her lip.

"Was he buried?"

"Yes."

"That's good. Well, I don't wanna keep you. See you later, Nanami." she nodded, and her and Yoshiro ran away. She turned back around to face Byakuya.

"He died?"

"It wasn't unpleasant." she sighed.

"He was my favourite."

"I'm sorry."

"We all die eventually. Nothing new, at all." she shrugged. Silence fell over the two.

"Well, anyway, I, uh, need to go find Unohana." he nodded, and she started off in any random direction. During the silence that had settled, she'd definitely felt something. He really wanted to tell her something. But she couldn't figure it out. She wandered around until she eventually ran into Unohana.

"Are you running away from me?"

"No."

"Yes you are. You have to be." Unohana didn't say anything, just led her into a gym like area, complete with a large sunken trampoline.

"Is this for me?"

"Have fun. We're monitoring you." Unohana disappeared, and Shinobu rubbed her hands together.

"Where to begin?"

Shinobu swung around a bar, then released, and allowed herself to fall flat on a mat. The air rushed out of her lungs, and she took a deep breath afterward. Unohana had left a while ago, and she was still swinging around like a monkey, trying to rebuild her calluses still. After a minute of rest, she jumped back up, and did a cartwheel over to the trampoline, then did a backflip off it and into the foam cube pool.

"You're going to hurt yourself." she smiled as Byakuya's voice came over the speakers.

"Nah. I'd have to hit my head on something first." she started struggling towards the side of the pool, then hauled herself out.

"Besides, I feel like I'm twelve again. That's a big improvement for me." she picked up a cube and threw it at the one way mirror. It harmlessly bounced off and back at her. She caught it, and dropped it back inside.

"And I bet, I'm way more flexible than you. And probably a better gymnast."

"Really?"

"Totally. You try getting out of the pool of cubes. It's hard." he chuckled, and she ran back over to the low bar, then swung under, ducking her head in, then launching herself up onto the middle, then again to the high, where she sat on top.

"I wanna see you do that." and before she knew it, he was sitting next to her, hair slightly disturbed, indicating he'd done it while shunpoing. She shook her head.

"That's cheating. You can't shunpo. You get more momentum." she let herself fall back, hanging by her knees, then gripped the bar with her hands and flipped off. She looked back up at the twenty foot bar.

"How do I get down?"

"Drop, or flip." he looked puzzled. She rolled her eyes, then walked over to a side bar, ran up, and grabbed the bar before she fell back down. Hauling herself back up, she walked precariously over, then crouched down and looked at him.

"If I can get back up, you can get down." he paused, then slid down and dropped the twenty feet. She stood up.

"Ha. Now I'm twenty feet taller than you." she spun around on the thin beam, then grinned down at him. Her foot slipped, and her eyes widened.

"Oh god." she went head first, and Byakuya caught her. She smiled at him.

"I'm clumsy." he put her down.

"Your Squad and parents are probably looking for you." she grimaced.

"Not looking forward to the latter."

"They won't be bad." she looked at him, surprised.

"And when did you forgive them for being too free?"

"Strange things happen with the person you both love is constantly in danger."

"Oh that's good. So my injuries are the source of your bonding." she sighed.

"Alright. I gotta go take care of my Squad and avoid my family. Will I see you at home?" he nodded, and she gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then shunpoed off to her squad. She skidded to a halt, and everyone nearby looked at her.

"Captain Shihoin?" someone called.

"Where's my office?" she answered. Someone pointed.

"Thanks." she turned around, then someone slammed into her and wrapped their arms around her.

"Captain!" she turned around to find a crying Momo.

"Ah! Hinamori, what's wrong?"

"I thought you were dead." she awkwardly patted her Lieutenant's head.

"Well, I'm not."

"Please don't do that again!" she pursed her lips, not sure what to do. Hinamori released her.

"Promise?"

"Yes." she nodded, then disappeared. Bewildered, then moved to her office, only to find no paperwork. A smile found it's ways onto her face, remembering watching Byakuya do paperwork before she'd been known. Now that she had nothing to do, several things scrolled through her mind. But freaking out people in Byakuya's division made the top five. She turned into a cat, then sprinted out of the office while people shouted at her. She jumped over the wall, easy, then sprinted to the next division, and cleared the wall again. People looked at her.

"Did that cat just jump the wall?"

"It's _that _cat man!"

"Isn't that Captain Kuchiki's cat?"

"But she spoke to us, man."

"Hey, cat!" she stopped cleaning her feet and looked up at the men.

"Hello boys." they stopped dead in their tracks, then one launched for her. She easily evaded him.

"How can you talk? Were you Kurotsuchi's?"

"No. And who told you I was originally a cat?"

"If you weren't a cat, what were you, human?"

"Yeah." the stopped again, and she avoided the other this time. A crowd was gathering.

"You were Kurotsuchi's weren't you?"

"Cat's can't talk, idiot."

"I can." the crowd gasped. There were a lot of stupid people in the world.

"She is Kurotsuchi's. There's no way."

"What's with the crowd over here?" the crowd opened and Renji stepped through.

"Shino- Captain Shihoin, what are you doing here?" the crowd looked around for her human form.

"Renji, your squad is retarded."

"I can see that." they all looked at her again.

"He's bewitching the Lieutenant!"

"Uh, I think not, you retards."

"Captain Shihoin, don't be harsh on them. They're just not bright."

"Neither are you, Lieutenant." she surveyed the crowd, then raised a paw.

"My name, is Shinobu Shihoin, Captain of Squad Five."

"Kurotsuchi got to her!"

"What is all the yelling?" her eyes widened at her fiance's voice, and she lept back over the wall.

"Get her!" she streaked away as a squad member followed her over the fence. Looking behind her, she increased her speed as they chased her down. Nearing the woods, she shot up a tall tree.

"GET BACK HERE!" Renji's voice was loud and menacing, and she cringed. The squad member glared at her, then started scaling the tree. Her eyes widened, then Byakuya shunpoed to the base of the tree. She meowed loudly.

"Get down."

"I almost have her." she hissed at the squad member, and swiped at his hand, dragging her claws lightly down his hand. He cried out and fell back.

"Damn cat." Byakuya glanced back up at her.

"Go back." the squad member ran, and he looked at her.

"Shinobu..." she meowed again, trying to pretend she was a normal cat.

"Stop trying." she meowed, a high, whining sound. He shook his head.

"Don't make me get you down." she meowed, higher than before. He winced, then glanced at her paw, which she quickly hid to hide the silver band that still remained.

"Now I know it's you. Get down." she sighed.

"I've got no paperwork. What am I supposed to do?"

"Terrorize someone else's squad."

"But yours has the most idiots." he chuckled and she dropped down, landing hard on her feet.

"Besides, other captains might actually yell at me."

"Go to your father's squad." she paused, paw in the air, mid stride.

"That's actually, not a bad idea. Alright, I apologize for terrorizing your squad. Just don't tell on me for doing this." a faint smile flirted with his lips, and she took that as a yes, then sprinted off, towards division Nine. She cleared the wall, then dropped down on the other side, in a hunter's crouch. A few people looked at her.

"Is that a cat?"

"I think it is."

"But Shuhei is allergic to cats. Who let it in?"

"I assure you, I don't spark normal cat allergies." the people stopped arguing and stared at her.

"A talking cat?"

"Some people have said I was Kurotsuchi's. I want to know who they were talking about. Could anyone take me there?"

"No way man. We'll just take you to Captain Shihoin."

"Mmm, he won't be happy with me at all. I'm going to have to turn you down. Sorry."

"You know him?"

"Well, in a way." someone picked her up, and she hissed.

"Put me down, faggot!" her claws extended, and they cried out. She lept out of their grip, and streaked away, three grown men chasing. They caused quite the scene, until Urahara scooped her up.

"Miya! I've been looking for you." she purred and nuzzled into his chest.

"That cat, is demon spawn."

"Now now, don't be harsh. I'm sure she was just trying to cheer you guys up."

"More like trying to kill us."

"Well," Urahara looked at her, "I did terrorize Byakuya's squad first. I got in trouble there." Urahara chuckled.

"I would punish you, but I can't punish my own daughter."

"Daughter?" the group cried.

"Yep. His wife gave birth to a fuzzy animal. No you morons! I'm Shinobu Shihoin. Now, if you'll excuse me, faja, I need to change back. I'm in dire need of a shower. Or maybe I'll go for a swim in the river."

"Now that's a bad idea." he set her down.

"But, you're almost as old as Byakuya-kun. Oh, I can't wait until your wedding."

"I certainly can." he paused.

"Oh, Yoruichi wanted to see you about that. Go change back, shower, then go see your mother. She sounded urgent." confused, Shinobu cleared the wall, then sprinted back to her division, and into her office. She changed back, and pulled on her pants, then her small tube top she wore underneath. The door slid open, and she spun around. Yoruichi, and Byakuya stood there, looking quite amused.

"When did you get a tattoo?" Yoruichi stepped in and ran a finger across the word, just shy of her tailbone. Shinobu smacked her mother's hand away.

"Sometime. And may I inquire why I'm blessed with both of your presences', together?" they looked at eachother.

"He was coming to discuss something he refuses to tell me about. I came here, because a bunch of kimono designers showed up at my house an hour ago, asking for Ms. Shinobu Kuchiki. When I asked who sent them, they said Kuchiki-sama." they both looked at Byakuya, who turned bright red.

"That's why I'm here." he lied.

"Alright then, should I go to the Shihoin Manor then?"


	14. Chapter 14

Shinobu's long wet hair was tied up in a very, _very,_ tight bun. Tight enough to give her a head ache. She was sore, but that was nothing compared to what was to come. She'd been stabbed by at least twenty needles in the last hour. As it would turn out, Byakuya's lie had been a partial truth. He had sent them over here, thinking she'd be safer from someone accidentally opening the door on her here. But his true intentions remain unknown. Meanwhile, kimono makers had been fussing over Shinobu for an hour now, getting all their measurements, and trying to design something. One of them had recommended acupuncture, because she was really tense, and it was making the pricks hurt more, but Shinobu feared that her reflexes may cause her to smack, or even worse, punch whatever pour soul got charged with her. Suddenly, Yoruichi came in the room, bursting in on the half naked Shinobu, who wore white leggings and her tube top, to give her the most form fitting without being naked appearance. Yoruichi leaned over the designers, and mulled over the current designs.

"That one. It shows off her figure, without making it too pronounced, and it isn't so white that she looks unnaturally tanned. Also, it's nice and simple."

"You're completely right, Shihoin-sama!" they all squealed, then set to work. Shinobu sighed as they pricked her again.

"Ow!"

"Sorry. Loosen up."

"I'm make you a deal. Show me the damn kimono, and I'll loosen up." Yoruichi grabbed the picture and held it up. It was a nicely, but not overly so, form fitting dress, with a top that rises up to the base of her neck, in a collared fashion, but with an open back. It was floor length, and flowy, but again, not overly so, with a long train. The more she looked at it, the more she could see the details. It was cream coloured, complimenting her skin, with golden lace at the bottom, and an obi around her waist. All in all, it was a damn good decision.

"You guys shoulda asked me first. This would have been chosen, like, half an hour ago."

"Hush. We can't ask you. You're the bride." but, as she promised, she tried to loosen up, and found that the pricks hurt less and less, until she barely felt them. Another half an hour later, they had the basic part done, and pulled it off her.

"Alright. We'll have the final dress done in four days." they left, and she collapsed on the floor.

"Can I go home now?"

"Don't be such a child, Shinobu." she smacked her mother.

"Coming from the woman who thought me having one tattoo was too much?"

"It is."

"You have two, _huge _ones. No critisizing." Yoruichi laughed.

"Good point. But, I don't like staring up at the ceiling. Let's go down to the beach." Yoruichi stood up, and grabbed her daughter's wrist.

"W-w-wait!" but Yoruichi had already broken into a shunpo. She let go of Shinobu halfway down the beach, and she did a somersault, then laid flat, laughing.

"I hate you."

"I love you too." Yoruichi laid down beside her. They laid in silence, for lord knows how long, before Kisuke showed up.

"Oh? And what are my two favourite women doing, laying in the sand?"

"Sun bathing. Or tanning. Either works."

"I don't think Yoruichi can tan anymore." Kisuke commented. She smacked his leg, and he laid down on Shinobu's other side.

"You know, despite the fact that I'm, like, old now, this is actually kind of nice. Family time."

"Even though you're almost a hundred and thirty."

"You're ruining it, Mom." Yoruichi shushed, and before she knew it, Shinobu drifted off to sleep. For how long, only a few people know, as Yoruichi shook her awake before long.

"What? Is something on fire?" Yoruichi laughed.

"No. I think your fiance is looking for you." she noticed the colour in the sky, then judged her sleep to be a thirty minute nap. And now, she was increasingly tired. Yoruichi helped her up, and they both looked at the sleeping Kisuke.

"Wanna leave him?"

"Yeah." they grinned, then parted ways, each going to a different manor. Shinobu slid the door open quietly, as there were very few lights on. She judged it to be seven, eight at night, and wondered why everyone was asleep. In her sneaking around, she wasn't looking particularly in front of her, just to the sides, so she ran straight into Byakuya, then fell over, managing to snuff out the sounds of her fall. She looked up at him, and gave him a crooked smile.

"Where is everyone?" she whispered.

"I let them off early. I think they all went to sleep." she grinned, then yawned.

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea." he shook his head and helped her up.

"Go get some food first."

"Do I have to?" one look, and she plodded away towards the kitchen, rummaging up something small, quietly and quickly. She scarfed it down, only then finding how hungry she was. Ignoring her stomach, she found her way back to his room after running into a few walls and doors on the way. He stood in front of his room, almost smirking.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Trying not to." she faked a gasp, then they headed inside, and she curled up under the sheets.

When she woke up in the morning, she could feel Byakuya's arms around her waist, actually trapping her, keeping her from getting up. She sighed, and tried not to shift. Maybe she could get up without waking him? Her chances of that were unlikely. But she needed to get up. She had a squad to attend to. Hoping he was a deeper sleeper than she thought he was, she slowly inched out of his arms, then smirking triumphantly, shunpoed off to her squad. People milled around, generally ignoring her, and she slipped into her office, to find a small amount of paperwork. She sat down and started reading, marking her paper when someone came in. Around noon, a group of people came in.

"Captain Kuchiki."

"I'm still a Shihoin." she didn't bother looking up yet.

"Captain Shihoin, we wanted to know if you could maybe... train with us." she looked up, marking her spot.

"Now, that, I can do." she stood up and they watched her.

"Really? Like, you'll help us?"

"What do you want help with? I've got nothing to do other than that." she gestured towards her paperwork.

"We need to work on skills."

"I get it. Alright, let's go." she followed them out to the training area.

"Alright, let me see you fight first."

The three Squad members bowed to her, hot and sweaty, but much improved from earlier. She shook out her hair, and they left.

"Shihoin-sama!" she turned around, and her jaw fell as the kimono maker raced towards her.

"Let's go let's go! It's time for you to get dressed for the wedding! Invitations went out forever ago, but you need to get dressed."

"But but-"

"We got the dress finished early. Much, earlier, than we'd thought we would. Let's go!" Sighing, she grabbed the girls arm, and shunpoed back to the Shihoin Manor. The kimono maker forced her into a scalding bath, then forced her into her dress. It was a little tight, but other than that, it was perfect. They dried her hair, then brushed it flat and placed several pins in place to keep it out of her eyes. She scowled a little bit as they adjusted her hair again.

"Mom, who are my bride's maids?"

"Me and Nanami."

"Oh. This oughta be fun." she rolled her eyes and they finished with her hair, then checked the time.

"Right on schedule! Go get in your carriage." they pushed her out and she stumbled, then Yoruichi help her straighten up. They walked outside, and got into the carriage, only to find Nanami already inside. The younger girl gasped.

"You're beautiful! Oh my gosh, I think all the men are going to be jealous." Shinobu laughed.

"Hardly. You might outshine me, my little sister." she turned to her mother.

"So who planned all this?" Yoruichi grinned evilly.

"Byakuya got pissed while you were comatose. He was tired of you getting hurt, and him never knowing if you're going to wake up. So, I helped him plan the wedding so you'd be his, finally."

"So where are we going?"

"Same place as my wedding. But a little more jazzed up. Byakuya is already going to be there when we get there, so, we're going to have to sneak you to the side, then head in. I believe Kisuke is walking you in." Shinobu laughed. That would only go horribly. A few minutes later, they passed the Kuchiki Manor, and she hid when the carriage stopped.

"What's going on?" she whispered.

"Switch sides with me." she switched with Nanami, so Nanami was sitting alone, and Shinobu was next to Yoruichi. The door opened, and Yoshiro hauled himself in. She gaped.

"You two tell me nothing!" the two other women laughed, and the ride started back up.

"I hate you all."

"Don't hate. It's your wedding day. Be happy, Kuchiki-san. Happy, god damn it!" Shinobu laughed, then paused.

"Hey, Mom. Can you talk to the Elders for me?"

"About what?"

"Adopting someone."

"Who?"

"Nanami." Nanami gasped.

"No! I can't accept that."

"It's my wedding present for you, whenever you two get married." she grinned evilly, and Nanami hid her left hand.

"Which is when, exactly, my dear sister?" Nanami turned red.

"I...uh...we...uh..." Yoshiro laughed.

"Not planned yet, sorry to disappoint, Kuchiki-san."

"Well then, I'm going to make all the food!" they all started laughing, then the carriage came to a stop, and the door opened again.

"Who all is in here?" the person paused.

"Oh, the bride. Continue on!" the door shut and they moved on again, then five minutes later, the door opened again, and the group helped slip Shinobu around the side of the building without her being seen, then they abandon her. Minutes later, Kisuke came up, and hugged her.

"You look stunning. More stunning than your mother, I might add. I think they down dressed her to make you shine." she shook her head.

"Nope. Is it time yet?" he checked a watch.

"Yepperz." he took her elbow and they walked around the to entrance. She could hear music, but couldn't tell where it came from, and frankly, wasn't too worried about it. Of course, she could see just about nothing, because there were pink flower petals floating down from everywhere, so Kisuke had to lead her to the front, and when he let go, she was sure she'd trip on a stair. She actually got to the top, then looked at Byakuya, who was actually smiling in public. The priest started speaking and they both went through their vows.

"You may kiss the bride." he placed his hand on the back of her neck and their lips met. Energy coursed through her body, and she smiled slightly. He pulled away, then they started down the aisle, people cheering, clapping, and all sorts. He helped her into the carriage, then climbed in. As soon as the door was shut, the sounds were muffled, and she looked at Byakuya.

"You look handsome." he chuckled.

"Anyway, what's for lunner?"

"Lunner?"

"Dinch?"

"What?"

"Lunch slash dinner." he chuckled.

"You'll see." she laughed.

"Keeping secrets isn't nice mister! Not nice at all!" he shook his head.

"You're energetic."

"I feel like I took a Five Hour Energy pill, or drank some drink full of sugar." she looked out the window as they went.

"I remember when we went on this path the first time. Then we got there, and you proposed." she kept the other things that happened silent, like Sasake attacking them on the way. And Yamasaki attacking her. Good times. Byakuya seemed to be thinking about the same things, so when they got there, they both jumped when the door opened.

"Hurry, it looks like it's about to rain." she looked out at the clouds.

"Oh yeah." she could feel her uneasiness.

"I give it five minutes." she got out, and Byakuya followed, then they walked inside and sat side by side at a long table.

"Hm... this seems familiar..."

"Just a little bit." she laughed as people started arriving. And making their own jokes about being here recently. Yoruichi and Nanami sat on Shinobu's other side, and Kisuke and Yoshiro sat on Byakuya's other side.

"It's raining outside." Yoruichi whined.

"This is why we're inside." Nanami laughed, and so the night progressed. At the end, after every guest had left, Shinobu turned to Nanami and Yoshiro.

"Your turn, Nanami and Yoshiro."

**I know it's short, but I think it's kind of fitting. Before you say I could've described the wedding more, I couldn't because it was kind of a generic wedding, ya know? So anyway, there'll be a epilogue after I post this. **

**Yours truly, OldBlueRiver**


	15. Epilogue

_**Thirty Years Later**_

Shinobu Kuchiki leaned forward, elbows on her knees as she watched her daughter and brother running around like maniacs, Nanami's kid trying to keep up. Her mother and father sat on the other side of the garden, grinning to themselves. Nanami and Yoshiro sat together, Yoshiro's arm around her shoulders, sitting on the grass.

"Not too rough, guys!" Shinobu called as Kazuya tackled Ayame, Shinobu's girl, to the ground. Kohaku, Nanami's boy, high fived Kazuya. Kazuya was thirty now, but he looked fifteen, and Ayame was only a year younger, then Kohaku was two years under Ayame. Kazuya's hair had turned black after only a little while, but other than that, he was a well built boy, with his black hair and gray eyes. Ayame was pale like her father, with his black hair, but she had Shinobu's amber eyes and recklessness, and free spiritedness. Kohaku had blonde hair and slightly tanned skin, with brown eyes. He was just as tall and muscular as Kazuya, but could be drawn back like Nanami had been. Byakuya stepped outside and watched the two boys chasing Ayame around.

"Run Ayame run!" Shinobu called. Byakuya chuckled, and she looked back, then patted the spot next to her. He sat down, and she leaned on him.

"She's just like you, in so many ways." Shinobu looked up at her husband.

"Is that an insult?"

"No. But whatever poor boy falls for her is going to have a tough time taming her."

"You did pretty well, I seem to remember." she glanced over to Nanami and Yoshiro, who were heading towards them.

"Shinobu, Byakuya-san. Sorry to leave, but Captain Kyoraku is looking for us. Can you watch Kohaku?"

"Don't we always? See you later, Nanami." Nanami smiled, and the couple disappeared. Ayame ran up and ducked behind her mother and father.

"Hey Mom, can we go swim in the river?" Shinobu looked at Byakuya, who nodded.

"I don't care, just don't climb any trees near there, and please, do not fall in. You don't need to repeat my five mistakes."

"But you got saved every time, by the love of your life. So maybe someone will save me if that happens to me." Shinobu laughed.

"Or you'll crack your head on a rock and end up in some poor boy's home, recuperating while I freak out back here." Yoruichi seemed to hear the reference and started laughing.

"And then Shinobu will come track you down and have a huge fight with whatever boy that is."

"Though I doubt she'll sneak into a prison afterward."

"So does all that crazy mumbo jumbo mean I can go?"

"Yes." Ayame squealed and headed inside, while Kohaku nodded to Shinobu, and followed her, then Kazuya flashing back to his manor to get his suit.

"I've got to get back to my Squad. You should think about doing the same, Shinobu." she scoffed.

"Why would I do that? I'm expecting again!" she patted her stomach, and he shook his head.

"I forgot. If you do go, that kid will be just like Kazuya. I'll see you later." he gave her a quick kiss, then shunpoed off, leaving Yoruichi to come torment her first child.

"Expecting again?"

"Well, I figured I didn't want any of my kids to end up like me and Kazuya. A hundred and twenty five years apart. I figured thirty was good." Yoruichi laughed.

"Smarter than I gave you credit for."

"Stupider than I give you credit for. My brains must come from Dad. Then." they both looked at Urahara, who was currently fiddling with something. Curious, both women walked over, then laughed.

"What?"

"What in the world is that?" Yoruichi leaned over his shoulder.

"It's a tracker. Who are you going to pin that on, and what in the world did you do to it?"

"I installed a camera on it. Pretty good quality too. And, I'm debating who. I'm thinking we should attach it to Ayame."

"Hey! Her mother is standing, right here!"

"Yeah, but what if she ends up like you?" Shinobu considered this, then shrugged.

"Waterproof?"

"Yep."

"I'll put it on her bracelet. Say it's a charm. She takes that bracelet everywhere." He gave her the charm, and she looked at it. It had a royal blue gem on it, probably to disguise it, and it was already equipped to be a charm.

"Thanks Dad." Ayame came running back out in a bikini.

"Ayame, Kisuke got you a present!" mother called to daughter. Ayame ran over.

"That's pretty! For my bracelet? Thank you so much!" She strangled Urahara, clipped it on, then ran off, Kohaku following. Shinobu watched her go.

"So ignorant."

"You were exactly like her, Miya."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that."

"Blame Isshin." Shinobu scowled. The crazy old man had thought she was more of a Miya, and never stopped calling her that.

"Yeah. I'll beat his ass next time I go to Karakura. Thanks for reminding me." Yoruichi laughed.

"I've gotta go. Helping Soifon recruit people."

"That's today?"

"Yes."

"Shit!" Shinobu shot back into the house and into her and Byakuya's room, then pulled on her uniform and haori, then stepped back outside, and stopped. A simple white dove sat on the porch. She knelt down, and it flew onto her outstretched hand.

"Take time to admire the simple things. Before you flip something upside down." she closed her eyes, and the dove flew off, above the woods, towards the sun, a small silhouette against the blaring sun. She smiled.


End file.
